Hide and Seek
by Pixel and Stephanie Forever
Summary: When the I-201 sinks after attacking the Harekaze, the crew recovers a lone boy from the sea. With the Blue Mermaids, other schools and the Navy ordered to stop or sink them, the crew must work with each other and Mina and their new friend to keep out of danger, repair their vessel and find out what is going on with a virus sweeping the Japanese area - but can they do it in time?
1. Of Sinkings, Damage and Secret Help…

**Of Sinkings, Damage and Secret Help…**

"The submarine has stopped" Kaede reported from her post at Sonar.

"That's good" Akeno said in relief. "Is the submarine surfacing?"

"No... It's just stopped"

"That can't be good" Mashiro said.

"With their propellers fouled up by the line, they should surface as quickly as possible" said the German girl with a look of concern on her face.

" _CAPTAIN_!" Kaede suddenly shouted through the voice pipe, " _The submarine is going down and I can hear popping noises_ "

" _Popping_?" asked Akeno. Before Kaede or the German girl could say anything, there was a massive spray of water and a dull thud from behind them. Akeno, Mashiro and the German girl rushed out onto the port bridge wing and looked back to see the spray fall back to the surface and a puddle of blackest black showed where the surface rippled in a circle.

"Please no..." the German girl said in a groan.

"What? What has happened?"

"Captain, I think the submarine has exploded underwater and broken up"

"You mean they are dead?"

"It looks like it" said Mashiro quietly.

" _Bridge, Sonar... I'm hearing scrunching noises and lots of tinkling - suspect highly probable the submarine is breaking up_ " Kaede's voice provided the final line on the subject.

"I CAN SEE WRECKAGE!" the starboard lookout said suddenly.

"Deputy Captain, bring us to a halt and launch a boat to search for any identifying debris" Akeno ordered. "I'm sorry, but I do not know your name - would you go with the boat and help them look for what you can? You seem to be an expert"

"Yes, Captain"

" _Distress beacon heard... it's coming from somewhere behind us_ " came the light tone of the radio operator.

"That must be the submarines automatic distress beacon that was set off"

"It must be set off automatically when the sub goes below a certain depth" Akeno looked down.

"It's not automatic" said Mashiro. "That type of submarine only has a manually activated beacon"

"Then there could be people alive down there" Akeno suddenly felt cold. As she tried not to think about being trapped at the bottom of the sea, one of the girls shouted they could see something orange bobbing on the surface.

"There!" Mashiro pointed at a tiny orange dot that had appeared.

"Quick, get the boat launched and get that person on-board - have the Doctor be ready to treat them" Akeno ordered. She walked back onto the Bridge and clasped her hands together and bowed her head in prayer. Straightening, she stepped closer to the voice pipes and steadied her nerves. "Radio room, this is the Captain. On my direct order break radio silence. Get our position from Navigation and broadcast it to both the school and the Blue Mermaids until you get a reply. Inform them there has been an accident with the I-201 and inform them there has been a terrible accident and there are survivors under the water. When you get confirmation, break off radio communication and report to the Bridge. Mashiro, when you're told about the message being received, I want you to have Rin take us on any course you can and as fast as Maron can give us..."

"You think the school might attack us?"

"They might or they might not - I don't plan on giving them the chance though" Akeno said. "You... I'm not sure what to do with you, but you knew what to do with submarines - stay on the Bridge where Mashiro can watch over you. I am going to find out about the submarine that attacked us"

"Aye, Captain"

#

"He is still unable to wake" Minami said. "I do not know if this is because of tiredness or due to injuries" she added. "Under the circumstances, I would prefer to let him wake naturally"

"Of course" Akeno smiled. "Have you been able to find out anything about him?"

"He is an Engineering Cadet from Saudi Arabia on an exchange visit to learn a submarine's systems" Minami frowned. "Does Saudi Arabia have submarines?"

"I don't know" Akeno admitted. "Maybe he was here to learn how to be on one before his country gets them"

"Thats logical"

"Did he have any weapons on him?"

"If he did, they got loose when he was in the water. He is lucky to be alive - the water was exceptionally cold tonight"

"Okay... Make and keep him comfortable and let me know when he wakes. Don't tell him what ship he is on, though"

"Aye, Ma'am" Minami reached for a plastic wallet which contains cards and pieces of paper.

"His things?"

"Yes - it might help you somehow"

"Thank you... Why don't you go and get some rest? You have been worked very hard. If something happens, I will ring you"

"I would prefer to remain at my post"

"As you wish"

#

"Gufran Saulman" Kouko said. "According to the information all the ships got, he is here as part of an educational visit so he will be able to serve on the first of Saudi Arabia's submarines. How he survived what happened to the I-201 is strange, though... According to the plans, the number on his life suit shows it belonged to the forward torpedo room"

"Why would an engineer be in the torpedo room?" Maron mused. None of the other senior department heads gathered in the mess hall had any idea either.

"Maybe he was learning how things worked there" Rin suggested.

"Maybe" Mashiro broke in, "But we have to decide what to do with him"

"Do with him?" Kouko asked. "We will have to put him on a shopping mall somewhere out of the way so the fleet doesn't find us and sends the ship to the bottom of Davy Jones's locker"

"And we went nearly a whole day without a fantasy" Mashiro muttered.

"When he is well enough to be released" Akeno had made up her mind, "He can work with Maron in the engine room"

"But where will he sleep? We don't have any spare quarters as it stands"

"We could always have him sleep in one of the supply stores. Number Four Store is almost empty anyway" said one of the girls from supply.

"Hardly comfortable on a cold deck" Rei smirked.

"We have some hammocks, right? Well he can sleep on one of them" Akeno said. "We'll just have to be careful around him with regards to the bathing and the toilet"

"Captain, I would like to be a part of any team that talks to him" Kaede said. "I can speak Saudi Arabian a good deal, so i would be happy to help"

"Sure - speak to the Doctor about it"

"Aye, Ma'am"

"I can also speak that - may I join?" asked Mashiro.

"Very well" Akeno nodded. "German girl, what are you doing?"

"Trying to decide if i am dead and my soul is being tortured on a ship crewed by idiots and fools"

"Sorry" Rin squeaked. Akeno frowned and pushed down some rude words she knew at the way the German girl spoke.

"Whats your name?"

"Wilhelmina Braunschweig Ingenohl Friedeburg"

"Come again?" Mashiro and Akeno exchanged looks.

"Wilhelmina Braunschweig Ingenohl Friedeburg" the girl repeated and then sighed at the blank looks she got. "Mina... My name is Mina"

"Rin, how are we doing for steering?"

"Going to the rendezvous as ordered"

"Well that's something" Mashiro muttered a little too loudly.

"Shiro, be nice to Rin - you'll make her cry" and Akeno turned to look at Tama. "Do you agree with everything?"

"Aye"

"I'll take that as a yes then... Reduce speed a little so we don't wreck the engines, but keep us going towards the next meeting point - we have to put our side of the story across and find out what has happened"

" _Captain, we're picking up strong sounds of propeller screws under the water_ "

"Can you work out where?"

" _I think its heading towards where the I-201 went down_ "

"Okay – keep this course and speed…"

"We have a problem" one of the girls from supply rushed into the Mess Hall.

"What do you mean?" asked Akeno.

"We took a few hits to the starboard side and we've lost fuel oil – we can't make it back to the school or the meeting point"

"Why didn't the damage control sensors not indicate damage?" Maron asked.

"Because it was damaged"

"Oh"

"How much fuel do we use a day?" asked Akeno with a worried tone in her voice.

"About fifty tons" Maron said instantly. "Of course, we can reduce that by going slower, but there are other things the engines are used for such as electrical power" and she looked at the girl from supply. "Which part did it hit?"

"Bunker 4"

"Damn" Maron said. "That was one of our two biggest bunkers…Assuming that the fuel levels are okay in the rest of the tanks, I can suggest maybe another five days at cruising speed"

"And it's at least a week back to the school" Mashiro said.

"Until we broke off radio contact, did we have up to date positions for the supply ships?" asked Akeno.

"I… I think so" Rin said.

"Good – get our position and then see if we can make the nearest ship. They might not have heard about us, so we'd be able to resupply and then get back to the school as fast as possible"

"There might be a better option" said Mina. "One of your supply ships put stashes of supplies in key areas for the _Spee_ – if I could look at your map and get your position, I might be able to get us supplies and keep us away from any ships that will try to sink us" and Akeno and Mashiro looked at each other before Mashiro shrugged.

"It's better than risking arrest" she said.

"But we still need somewhere to get repairs" Maron pointed out as she re-joined the main group, "And any shipyard or port we go to will report us"

"Can you fix the damage at sea?" asked Mashiro.

"I would have to look first, but I doubt it. Even if we could, we can't run very fast at all because the starboard screw is broken"

"Best speed?" asked Akeno.

"One shaft…? First battle speed"

"Well let's hope we don't encounter anything" Mashiro said.

" _Captain! There is a ship coming near us – the_ Akagi" came the voice of a lookout.

"I'm so unlucky"

"Its just coincidence" Mina shrugged.

"It's the Captain – is it trying to communicate?" Akeno asked after crossing to the handset on the wall.

" _They say they want us to stop so they can talk to us… They heard about what happened, but they don't believe we started a mutiny_ " and Akeno closed her eyes and thought hard. They needed food, oil, supplies and repairs for sure, but could she risk it on a gamble by trusting the supply ship was on their side.

"Close the distance, communicate by signal light only and await orders – I'm coming to the Bridge" and Akeno replaced the handset before turning to face her crew. "Get everybody to stations and secure all hatches"

"Captain?" Mashiro was startled by the determination in her voice.

"There is a supply ship coming towards us offering to help us. While we need the supplies it has for us, I am not going to trust them until I know stuff better"

#

To the delight of the crew, the supply vessel was indeed friendly and gave them updated charts and as much information as possible about what had happened. The crew took the opportunity to write letters home which the _Akashi_ would deliver as her captain and Akeno had decided it would sail directly to Yokasuka with them, a copy of their log and visual evidence that backed up their claims of being fired upon first. It would also take back three members of the crew who asked to return to the school because family issues to which Akeno had agreed to. It meant that one of the firing post girls and two of the damage control parties members would make them short handed, but Mina had agreed to stay on and help them and Akeno didn't want to stand in the way of three girls worried about the health of their families when they heard the news. The crew also took the opportunity to use special equipment aboard the _Akashi_ to scan their male passenger, though this was done in the sickbay as Minami did not want to move him as much as possible. After twelve hours and after transferring as much stuff as they could to the _Harekaze_ , the _Akashi_ sailed away and promising to wait twelve hours before saying they had seen the _Harekaze_ so the ship had enough time to sail away.

Do you think I am doing the right thing?" Akeno asked Mashiro when the pair were alone in Akeno's cabin.

"Normally I would say no" Mashiro replied, "But if the fleet is on a 'Stop or Sink' order, then we have no choice but to keep moving until the _Akashi_ gets to the school and explains everything. The main question, though, is where do we hide?"

"If we keep moving, then we'll never be trapped" Akeno reasoned, "But we could find an island somewhere which at least allow us time on shore. The question is where? I don't want to cause trouble for everybody"

"I wonder if the Blue Mermaids are going to put ships on all the islands to stop us hiding…" Mashiro frowned in thought. "Captain, I think your plan to keep moving is the best idea we have. However, there is a matter that needs attending to fairly soon"

"What's that, Shiro?" and Mashiro sighed at the nickname before explaining.

"Minami has said that she is slightly worried about the health of the crew in the Engine Room. According to her report, they have suffered extreme changes from room temperature to extreme heat to extreme cold and then back to extreme heat again. She says it isn't good for their bodies and is concerned some of them might suffer from strokes"

"That sounds serious" Akeno said. "Not sure what we can do, though"

"There is a small island chain about an hour away... We could sit there until dark, shut down the boilers and let the people down below the chance to get fresh air"

"But what if we are discovered by the fleet?"

"We keep the engines connected to the emergency diesel set"

"Okay, Shiro, lets do that... We can rest a little before we move at night for another set of islands"

" _Captain?_ " the voice of Minami came through the voice pipe.

"Uh... Yeah?"

" _The boy we rescued from the I-201 has started to wake up and I might have discovered what has happened_ "

 **A/N:**

 **Okay, if the talking is a little out of character, it is because I thought they would sound a little better if they had had a little bit of training first. The boy picked up from the submarine is named and based on a very good friend and partner in anime crime.**

 **As for taking this alongside canon events, most of it will be kept with only minor parts removed like the getting stuck in the mines – they should have simply gone astern and moved round. The only major difference is that the** _ **Harekaze**_ **will be on her own and get help only in dribs and drabs from supply caches on remote and unoccupied bases as well as finding the occasional wreck to scavenge from.**

 **Well, reviews in the normal manner please…**

 **Pixel and Stephanie**


	2. Island Refuge…

**Island Refuge…**

"First of all, I want to thank you for saving me from the sea. When I found out about the attack on your ship, I tried my best to stop the torpedoes from firing by trying to jam the torpedo hatches" Gufran Salmon said from the sickbay bed.

"I'm glad you are alright" Akeno replied. "We heard messages from the rescue ships that everybody has been saved, though some are in a serious condition"

"May I contact my school and let them know I am alright?"

"No... I'm sorry, but we're working under a radio silence because nearly everybody believes we mutinied. It is important to know how this virus was spread"

"I think it was the rats"

"Rats?"

"Shortly before we left the islands you were supposed to be doing your training, this guy came onboard and injected all of the crew with what he claimed were inoculations. He tried to inject me as well, but I refused on supposed religious grounds. After a couple of days, we kept finding these rats and crew members kept going insane who had touched them"

"Rats are known as a major disease carrier" Minami mused quietly, "So it is entirely possible they are the reason some ships are infected. I would need to examine one of these rats closely and take it apart"

"I'll... I'll put out an announcement to the crew to look out for them" Akeno shuddered. "We are having a cabin sorted for you and your clothes cleaned as well. In a day or so, you will be able to leave and get around the ship, but you will have to help work"

"I could work in the engine room" Gufran said. "I could study manuals and work under your Chief Engineer"

"I am sure that Maron would appreciate the help" Mashiro said.

"We'll have to question you fully later with a camera so we can document all this" Akeno said as she moved towards the door, "But I have one final question"

"Shoot"

"Are you a practicing Muslim? If you are, I am afraid that our kitchen isn't all that good for you"

"Oh, that's okay - I'm not religious at all" the boy chuckled. "I could murder a steak with chips"

"I will speak to the galley and see what they can do" Akeno promised.

# # # # #

"Captain, we're picking up some strange radio signals close by – almost as if they are coming from inside the ship" Tsugu said.

"Maybe we have a spy" Kouko said.

"I thought you ordered there to be no radio messages sent?" Mashiro remarked.

"I _did_ " Akeno replied. "What equipment would be giving out radio signals?"

"Our tracking beacon, but we turned that off as you ordered" Mashiro said. "We better find out what it is in case the school and the fleet are tracking us"

"Mmm" Akeno set down her clipboard. "Search each deck room by room. Have Maron send up an engineer to help you" she added. "When you have checked each set of quarters, lock the crew in from the outside"

"Captain?"

"Just in case Kouko could be right after all" Akeno looked at her Deputy Captain who finally nodded in understanding. "Bridge to Engine Room"

" _Engine Room_ "

"Maron, can you send an engineer to the upper deck to meet with the Deputy Captain? When they have left, lock your compartment and don't let anybody in until you get the okay"

" _Whats going on_?" Maron asked from down below.

"We might have a spy onboard"

" _Understood_ " and, at that moment, Mashiro shrieked and jumped as a ginger and white cat dropped a dead rat at her feet.

" _Bridge, that signal just stopped_ "

"Somebody get a box and take the rat to sickbay" Akeno ordered quickly.

"Captain?"

"Remember what that boy said…? I know Minami is a human doctor, but a body is a body when you look at it"

"I'll do it myself. Captain, there is something else – according to our stores, we are losing fresh water at an unreasonable rate. When we get to this island, I'd like to have the engineering girls take the system offline and checked over"

"I agree" Akeno said. "Radar, Bridge"

" _Radar_ "

"I want a five second sweep of the area and then secure… We're running blind as it is and doing it at night is difficult enough"

" _Aye… Sweeping… Nothing on Radar_ "

Thank you" and Akeno turned to Mashiro. "Do you get a bad feeling?"

"About what?"

"I don't know" Akeno shook her head, "But I'm worried something is going to happen soon. Anyway, let's get to these islands and we can hide and plan our next move. At least there is a makeshift dock there so we can do repairs"

"That will be a good thing – Maron sent me a list of things that urgently need repairing and cleaning up"

"I saw it too… We took on as many spare parts as we could, but a lot of that list needs to be done in a drydock. Let's hope the crew that left us can clear our names. For now, get the rat down to Sickbay to be examined and maintain silent running status. Deputy Captain, the Bridge is yours"

"Aye, Captain. Helm, what course are we on?"

"272 at 17 knots" replied a girl.

"What time are we expected at the islands?"

"0830"

"Very good" Mashiro checked the compass herself and made a few quick calculations in her mind. "Engine Room, Bridge"

" _Here_ "

"Ask the Chief Engineer if it is possible to increase speed somehow"

" _Chief Engineer has gone to bed, Ma'am, but I think we're doing the best we can already_ "

"Understood… Bridge out" and the Deputy Captain sighed sadly.

"Permission to come on the Bridge?" and Mashiro turned to see Mina standing by the outside of the Bridge.

"Granted… What can I do for you?" she asked.

"Not much… I can't sleep"

"Are you ill?"

"No – I'm just used to the _Spee_ 's engines by now"

"I see – well you can stay up here for a while if you'd like" Mashiro offered. Normally she would not have allowed it, but the girl knew Akeno would have allowed it without a second thought. "What do you think to the _Harekaze_?"

"She is small, a little under-gunned but she seems to have a good crew manning her"

"This is only our first cruise together"

" _WHAT_?"

"Yes"

"My god…" Mina shook her head, "I'm going to die" and Mashiro smiled slightly.

"In years to come… Listen, how good do you know these islands?"

"Not much" Mina replied, going back to seriousness once more. "I know it is marked on the maps and apart from some of our supplies being put there for training reasons, I am afraid I can not help you, Let us hope that the _Spee_ has not got there first and is waiting. Despite being under some kind of mind control, the infected seem to have the ability to know what they are doing"

"So your report said"

"With that knowledge, the ship could be an even greater threat"

" _Bridge, Radio Room_ "

"Bridge"

" _Ma'am, I'm picking up a message from the_ Musashi _… Their Captain reports they have been cornered on the Bridge by crew that has mutinied – message just repeats_ "

"Any idea the location?"

" _No, but its strong so it must be fairly close_ "

"I'm so unlucky" Mashiro muttered. "Helm, increase speed to maximum and maintain course"

" _Lookout_ "

"Go"

" _I can see a ship on the horizon – looks like a cargo ship of sorts, but can not tell if it is a naval or civilian ship_ "

"Very good… Keep watch on it. Captain?"

" _What is it_?"

"Look out reports ship on the horizon but it doesn't seem to be following us"

" _Make a note of it in the log – I'll be up later_ "

"Aye"

"I don't think that should have been there" said Mina.

"Not according to the updated orders list _Mamiya_ gave us" Mashiro shook her head. "Lets just hope that we looked like a black spot in the dark with all of our lights running"

" _Radar – I have that contact on my screen… She's turning towards us and I can pick up her search radar_ "

"Engine Room, get that second engine back up and running – increase speed to maximum revolutions" Mashiro ordered. "General Quarters, all hands to Battle Stations – Captain to the Bridge. Helm, keep the ship as steady as possible. Aft gun, prepare to open fire with warning shots only"

"Won't we be out of sight in a few minutes?" asked Mina.

"Helm, hard to starboard… Steer 167 degrees"

"Hard to starboard… Steering 167 degrees"

"What if that ship radioed in our position?" Mina asked as the main Bridge crew came in and took over positions"

"That's why I ordered the turn" Mashiro said. "Captain, we've been spotted by a cargo ship which has sent a radio message off. I ordered the engines full ahead and then a turn in case they were tracking us via radar which they might have been"

"Right…" Akeno sighed. "I don't want to fire on anybody if I need to, but we might have to in order to defend ourselves"

" _Bridge, Engine Room. Starboard shaft is overheating badly – can we slow down_?" Maron called from down below.

"I'm sorry, but not really" Akeno apologised. "We are being chased at least one ship and we need the speed to get away"

" _Understood – I can give you ten minutes on the shaft before it overheats and starts to melt_ " Maron replied.

#

" _... shaft before it overheats and starts to melt_ " the girl's voice filtered through the voice pipe left open by Minami. The discussion ran through Gufran's head as he tried to think of ways to stop it overheating and a half forgotten memory pushed its way to the front and sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

"May I ask where you are going?" Minami looked up from investigations she was doing on the body of the rat.

"I know of a way to cool down the starboard shaft" the boy said as he stood. Minami watched him for a moment before throwing him a small backpack.

"I have to go" the boy said

"You might want these" replied Minami, "Unless it is the custom in Saudi Arabia to walk around in backless hospital gowns. According to the stores, this was the best they could come up with for you. Your uniform is in your cabin" and the Doctor stepped outside so Gufran could change. Once he was done, and promising to come back and finish with the Doctor, he hurried down and aft – startling crewmembers who just looked at him running by. Finding a door marked 'ENGINE ROOM', he pushed the handle and opened it.

#

"Who the hell are you?" Maron said as Gufran entered her domain.

"The boy you rescued from the submarine… I heard what you were saying on the voice pipe and I have an idea to cool the shaft down"

"Okay, lets hear it" Maron instantly went back to being a Chief Engineer.

"We get as much ice from the galley and dump it into the shaft housings… Won't last, but it will cool down the thing enough for us to get out of here"

"How do you know this?"

"Happened on a ship I was on last year – Chief Engineer did it during an exercise"

"Well its as good an idea as anything" Maron shrugged and turned to a taller girl. "You are in charge until I get back… Phone the galley and have them get as much ice cubes and ice as possible into whatever they can find"

"Maron…?" the girl replied, but Maron was already running after the boy. "Does anybody have the tempreture readings for the starboard shaft?" she asked.

"Not at the moment…" somebody called, "But I think the dials are broken"

"Okay… Bridge, Engine Room. Chief Engineer has gone to try a way to cool down the starboard shaft before it melts on us completely. We can't get any readings on the dials, so be prepared to go to one shaft only"

" _Bridge, Aye_ " came the simple reply back.

"Are we running okay on the rev counters?"

"Starboard one is running higher than the port, but that's not unexpected"

" _Engine Room, this is Maron… We've got the ice cubes and are going to toss them into the shaft housing – can you tell us when the readings change?_ "

"Maron, the dials are either broken or the temp is higher than they read right now"

" _Do you have an air sensor_?" asked Gufran.

"I think so, why?"

" _It should work just as well. Also, get somebody to run down with a high pressure pump connected to the fresh water tanks_ "

"You want to cool them down that way too?"

" _Its all we have left to try_ " Maron replied.

"Aye, Aye"

#

"I wonder why that cargo vessel is still chasing us" Akeno mused.

"Keeping as big an eye on us as possible and radioing our position?" Mashiro suggested.

"Can we jam it?" asked Akeno.

"Yes, but we'll not be able to do it for very long. Once we are out of range, they will be free to do so"

"Could we knock out their radio?"

"Not unless we send over a boarding party" and Akeno looked back aft where the cargo ship was still following behind.

"Helm, all back full. I want us in a dead stop but ready to go full ahead both the moment I give the order. Gunnery Officer, reload the aft gun with training rounds" Akeno issued the orders in a rapid fire way.

"Captain?"

"I do not want to hurt people if I can help it, Shiro… We use training rounds to disable or destroy their radio and radar masts"

"But what about their engines?"

"That's why I ordered a full stop… They come in quickly, we spin round fast and fire a couple of torpedoes into their stern to disable the rudder and engines" Akeno explained.

"Aft gun ready to fire" Tama reported.

"Target radio and radar masts only" Akeno ordered firmly.

"Captain, they are inside our torpedo range" Matchi shouted from up above. "And it is a school cargo boat too!"

"Hmm…"

"Captain?" Mashiro blinked several times at the younger girl.

"Mashiro, how quickly round it take you to form a boarding party?"

"A couple of minutes… You want to _board_ them?" Mashiro's jaw dropped.

"Yes… Maybe they have supplies we can use. I know it is sort of stealing, Shiro, but if we are captured, then nobody will know about this possible virus"

"Do we have deck plans?"

"Yes" Kouko said from the back of the Bridge.

"Then we'll disable them, board the ship and take what we need before sailing off and out of sight" Akeno said. "Aft gun, open fire"

" _I am picking up noises in the water – submarines closing fast_ "

"How on earth did they get so close?" Akeno demanded.

" _They used the cargo vessel as cover_ "

"All ahead flank speed" Akeno ordered. "Rin, I want you to spin the ship in a complete circle before resuming this course. Mei, prepare to launch a spread of training torpedoes – aim for the stern and disable the engines"

"Aye"

"I will not miss"

"Engine Room, pass the message that I need everything from the starboard shaft – even if it melts"

" _Engine Room, Aye, Aye_ "

"Coming round" Mei said.

"Fire!" and the torpedoes dived into the water and slammed into the cargo ship – knocking out its engines and bringing it to a halt. "Tama, set the aft gun to fire shells that will detonate on the surface of the ocean. Rin, after the fifth round is fired, put us back on course for the island"

"But the submarines will hear us" Mashiro said.

"Not if we confuse them… I saw it in a movie once" but Mashiro was not convinced even when it worked and the _Harekaze_ made its escape.

#

"Finally" Mashiro said. "Captain?"

" _Yeah, Shiro_?"

"Islands bearing right ahead"

" _I'm on my way_ "

" _Lookout, Bridge_ "

"Lookout" Matchi replied through the speaking tube. "See anything?"

" _Nothing of note apart from some old wrecks and breakers_ " the girl replied after a slight pause.

" _Radio Room here... Nothing that I can hear_ " Tsugu chimed in. Sonar and Radar, with no power to their equipment, didn't report.

"Thank you for doing a good job, Deputy Captain" Akeno said a few minutes later as she stepped onto the Bridge.

"Thank you" Mashiro replied - unsure as to why she was being thanked for doing her duty.

"Tell Maron she can shut down the starboard engine completely and she can do a full check on it and start repairs" Akeno looked back at Rin. "Slow ahead port engine"

"Port engine slow ahead" Rin replied

"I want somebody right up at the bow" Akeno said. "The rest of the crew that isn't doing anything important is to report to the Engine Room to make repairs. Those assigned as lookouts must come to the Bridge"

"Captain?" Mashiro blinked.

"They can either help with the repairs or they can form groups to look round the base" and Akeno sighed. Having to defend herself against her own Instructor and be accused of mutiny and worse because of it was not the way she aimed to become a Blue Mermaid.

#

Hours later, Akeno gathered her Officers, Mina and Gufran to the mess Hall which also served as a training and briefing room.

"The Base appears to be abandoned"

"Is the dry dock in good shape?" asked Maron

"It looks like it, Maron, but we'll double check beforehand. Sorry to say, though, that you will only have 24 hours to complete all of the repairs to the shafts and the lower hull because I want us to be ready to go at a moment's notice. I'm also placing lookouts at the tops of the hills nearby so we have an idea if any ship comes near us"

"Communications are wrecked here though" Tsugu said. "I might be able to get something sorted in a few hours though"

"There must have been boys and men here – we found some male clothing which we've sent to Gufran's cabin for him to try later" and Gufran thanked the girl for her thoughtfulness.

"The question is, however, where do we go after we make good the damage?" Mina asked as she sat on the top of a table.

"I don't know" said Akeno quietly. "The Deputy Captain and the Navigation department have been working on a few things to get us other places to hide, but its not going to be easy because we can't use any of the navigational equipment on the _Harekaze_ " she went on.

"Captain, is it possible to use those Skippers of yours?" asked Gufran.

"Even stripped down and given full tanks, everything is well outside its range" Akeno replied. "We have a ship, ammunition, food, drinking supplies, spare parts – but no fuel"

"I thought they left stuff here for the _Spee_?" Mina raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"That is true, but the fuel is not compatible with our engines" Maron explained. "I could mix some of it up with our own fuel to use in an emergency, but the stuff is so heavy that I would only be able to get about twenty barrels out of it"

"You could get more" Gufran said after a moment's thought.

"How?"

"I know it is dangerous, but the fuel drums are about the same size as the depth charges… You could get another ten barrels of this mixed stuff and just simple drop them off the stern if we get fired on"

"Maron?" prompted Akeno.

"I hadn't thought about that" the Chief Engineer admitted.

"Work on it" Akeno said firmly. "Now, before we start work, I am going to allow the rest of the day off for people taking a swim or relaxing on that beach nearby – I think we all need it after three days of high speed running at battlestations"

"Actually, I suggest making it today and tomorrow" Minami said with the firmness of her medical training.

"Alright, today and tomorrow – keeping a look out for ships of course" Akeno agreed.

"I had a look at the communications equipment, but most of it was disabled before the last people left. What was left running on automatic stopped working a few years ago" Tsugu said.

"That was part of our mission – repair the automatic equipment for use in weather reports" Mina spoke up. "Depending on what the state of this is like, I could help the communications officer to help repair the receiver so we can listen in to communications from your Blue Mermaids and your Navy"

"Assuming they haven't changed the codes" Mashiro noted. "Captain, I'd like to check the kitchen of the base with the galley staff and see if we can get it working again – we'd all be able to eat at the same time then and not in shifts and cramped together"

"Good thinking, Shiro" Akeno smiled.

"If it is all the same, Captain, I would like to get a start in helping the Chief Engineer with the repairs" Gufran said.

"No, everybody is to get some rest before doing anything" Akeno shook her head. "That is an order" and Gufran, though not technically under Akeno's command, respected her position as the Commanding Officer of the _Harekaze_.

"Aye, Aye, Ma'am" he replied.

"Now, I want the Deputy Captain, the Doctor and the chief Galley member to stay behind – the rest of you can go and relax" and Akeno waited until they all had left before locking the door. "I didn't want to bother the rest of the crew, but supplies are shorter than what we expected and there isn't as much food as we hoped stored as rations. When repairs are started, anybody that is left over is going to start going round the island and finding as much fruit and things as possible. Doctor, what is the minimum to survive?"

"2,200 to 2,400 calories each day" Minami replied. "Our male friend will require a little more than that, but we'll be able to work on it"

"Do you want me to start rationing the food now?" asked Mikan – the girl fiddled with the apron she wore.

"I would advise against that, Captain" Minami said. "The crew will need feeding well if they are to start repairs"

"Wait until we have all rested and then do it… I'll make an announcement in the morning about it" Akeno decided. "As of tomorrow, though, no snacks will be made until we can get more supplies… _Wherever_ they might come from" she added darkly.

"Some of the crew brought their own small supplies onboard – do you want these added to the common pot?" asked Mashiro.

"I would rather not do that, Shiro – the crew should have something to look forward to at the end of the working day. Doctor, is there anything else we should do?"

"Some of the fruit should be made into fruit juices if possible" Minami replied. "I took the chance of looking up information on this place and there are mangos, carambola and papaya growing here. At least both the flesh and the juice will help keep us going. One other thing, I suggest that we leave the external hatches and a lot of the internal doors open to get the air flowing"

"Okay… I guess we had better get started then" Akeno said and the group broke up.

#

"Captain!" Rin nearly jumped out of her skin as Akeno walked onto the Bridge.

"I am sorry for startling you" Akeno sheepishly said. "Why are you on the Bridge? I gave orders you should all relax"

"Somebody has to be on the Bridge at all times" Rin replied, "And… It is nice and quiet here"

"Oh?"

"I've always been frightened and scared, but when I went to the harbour and looked at to sea, I was really calm. It's one of the reasons I wanted to be a Blue Mermaid"

"I wanted to be one because they saved me when I was on a boat that sank. They didn't save my parents, but I want to be a Blue Mermaid to pay back what they did for me"

"Do you think we'll be believed?" asked Rin as she looked out of the Bridge windows at the island beyond.

"I'm sure of it" Akeno replied, first bright but then she looked worried. "Still, you think that the ones that left us would have been able to report by now"

"Maybe the school is doing a lot of investigating" shrugged Rin and looked back at the Captain who gave the other girl as good as a smile as possible. Rin, she decided, was far too sweet and innocent to frighten.

"That's most likely the case" she lied. "If you want to go to your cabin, I'll take over"

"If it is all the same" Rin replied timidly, "I'd like to remain on watch… I kept the log up to date" she added with a slightly proud expression.

"I'd better check it" Akeno said.

"I don't think I made any mistakes"

"Oh it isn't _that_ " Akeno loudly whispered, "But what would the Deputy Captain think if we didn't do things right?" and Rin giggled and showed Akeno the entries she had made every half an hour as the school required in their standing orders.

" _Bridge, Engine Room_ " Maron called up from deep down.

"Bridge, Captain speaking"

" _Is the telegraph set to STOP_?" Maron asked and Akeno looked at it for a moment.

"Yes – is there a problem?"

" _Not really… Ours is showing fifth battle speed. I'll take it apart and fix it_ " and there was a click as her end of the pipe was closed.

"She must be busy" Rin said softly.

"Yeah" Akeno looked at the ship's wheel that Rin had used expertly to steer the _Harekaze_ out of most of the danger she had been involved with so far. One of the phones on the bulkhead started to buzz and Rin picked it up.

" _Anybody on the Bridge_?" it was Tsugu in the Radio Room.

"Yes, Rin and the Captain"

" _Tell the Captain I picked up a faint transmission from the_ Musashi _– something about firing on a civilian vessel and then about a mutiny before it ended abruptly_ " and Rin told the Captain who went a deathly shade of white before swallowing and whispered an acknowledgement. The girl knew that with more ships seemingly having undertaken mutinies, the safety of the crew was now in a greater peril. There was a small part of her very being that wanted to go rescue Moeka, but there was an even bigger part that demanded she look after her crew first and keep them safe.

The problem for Akeno was that both parts of her were both right…

 **A/N:**

 **First of all, let me address an issue with the** _ **Musashi**_ **in the anime. After they have gathered supplies and a few bits of equipment, Moeka and the three unaffected crewmembers have a radio powered by batteries which Moeka immediately uses to send a distress call that the** _ **Harekaze**_ **hears but yet Moeka can't hear the reply back. Assuming they took the batteries out right away to save them for a later time, why did they not put them back in when the ships from the boy's high school came to check them out? Or, for that matter, the first attempt at a boarding by the** _ **Harekaze**_ **later on? Or the second? It makes no sense at all for there to be a radio which is only used once and nothing is said about it later. Therefore, I have solved this by having Moeka use it to send a more detailed message perhaps when other ships were in range to hear them – but with a twist at the end.**

 **Second, it is not made clear what the order of command is on the** _ **Harekaze**_ **when Akeno and Mashiro are not around – therefore I have decided that the order is Akeno, Mashiro, Kouko to fit in with what we see in episode 11 when Akeno panics and breaks down.**

 **The ice cube idea comes from the second season of the series "The Last Ship" where they do it to cool down the sonar. I have also heard of it being done in real life to get a ship home, so the idea is sound.**

 **In the previous chapter I referred to the** _ **Akashi**_ **as the food ship when it was the** _ **Mamiya**_ **– it was the** _ **Akashi**_ **which was the engineering support ship.**

 **And, before anybody says anything, the** _ **Harekaze**_ **was supposed to arrive at the islands the morning after they encountered the cargo ship and possible submarine. However, Akeno ordered a course away from the islands until they escaped before turning back towards them and going at full speed – hence the three days of high speed running at battlestations…**

 **Well, reviews in the normal manner please**

 **Robert**


	3. A Trap Is Made

**A Trap Is Made**

"Where are the girls?" asked Principal Mayuki Munetani.

"Being held at a Blue Mermaid facility and questioned as pirates"

"Bring my car around"

"Ma'am?"

"Whatever those girls may or may not have done, they are still my charges"

"Yes, Ma'am"

"Now, what news of the Harekaze?" Principal Munetani asked.

"Last seen heading into deeper waters. The reports we have day she's taking great care to fire to disable only. In fact, there have only been minor injuries as the result of falling over"

"Have you tried calling her by radio?"

"Many times, but she either can not receive the messages or is otherwise ignoring our signals"

"I see... What about Musashi?" Munetani asked and rubbed the bridge of her nose with worry. She had spent enough time worrying about her youngest daughter – now she had to think about the other ships in the school's fleet.

"There was a low power transmission from her Captain saying that some of the pupils had gone into a state of mutiny. Before another word could be said, though, there was a small thud heard and then a scream before the radio went quiet… She's been silent ever since – she's not responding to radio calls and her location beacon has been disabled. The talk is that nearly the entire school has followed the _Harekaze_ into the mutiny"

"I refuse to believe the entire school has gone into a state of mutiny" Mashiro's mother shook her head. "For a start, Captain Misaki never spoke to any of the other ship Captains before. Besides, so many girls were on there that there would have had to have been reports sent in of resistance. Even if not, surely they would have called on mobile phones or sent emails… No! Something else is going on and I intend to get to the bottom of it. I am going to talk to the girls held by the Blue Mermaids – keep trying to raise the _Harekaze_ by radio"

"Yes, Principal" the man replied. "And if we do not manage to get in contact with her?"

"Put our remaining ships on notice for steaming"

"I can't do that"

"Oh? And why not…?"

"Because the Mermaids have cut us off" and the man pointed out the window as the modern LCS vessels of the Blue Mermaid fleet hove into view and surrounded the school. As the pair watched, the main batteries turned to face the school and the speaker on her desk buzzed.

" _Principal, there is a message coming in from the leader of the task group_ "

"Put them through…"

" _By order of the government, all ships of your school are ordered to be confined to port until further notice_ "

"I still have ships out there"

" _They will be found and escorted back. If they resist, they will be sunk_ " and the radio link closed without another word.

"Damn… Get in touch with the _Harekaze_ by whatever means possible and find out what the hell they know about what happened out there. Get a full report and determine their operational status and readiness"

"I will try it personally, but my feeling is that she is listening in but not replying to protect where she is located" her assistant replied.

"We know she was shot at and suffered a fair bit of damage… Could she be hiding somewhere?"

"I would guess so. If she has gone completely silent, then it would be an almost impossible job to find her. By listening in to radio messages only and by not using her sonar or radar systems, she'd be very silent. They'd be forced to navigate by the stars and by paper charts"

"In an experimentally refitted ship with a crew of the lowest ranked people in the school" the Principal sighed. "You have your orders – I'm going to speak to my pupils"

#

It was a week after the _Harekaze_ had got to the old base and repairs to the ship had been made at breakneck speeds. The point of rationing had been well understood and nobody really grumbled about it and a large amount of fish had been collected to supplement the diet by firing a training round out the forward gun and collecting the fish that floated to the surface.

"Captain, we've completed repairs to the starboard shaft and you can have all speeds up to sixth battle speed" Maron reported proudly. She, her staff and Gufran had done miracles in getting the engines fully repaired before moving on to fixing other systems. They had even, in the time given to them for rest, managed to come up with some low powered radios that would allow them to communicate with the Skippers when they were deployed so at least they could scout out places if needed.

"Thank you, Maron… Navigation, have you managed to get the charts sorted and the course plotted?"

"Aye" said Rin calmly.

"Good… Then this is what we are going to do" Akeno took a deep breath before launching into her plan. "The Blue Mermaids have ordered all of our ships to return to port and are blocking them in at the school. _Akashi_ reported in with engine troubles so the Blue Mermaids are coming to tow it in but will take three days to arrive at their location. I am going to take the _Harekaze_ out with a skeleton crew, make contact and get as much as we can hold in six hours before we leave again. The Deputy Captain will remain here with the majority of the crew and get the base fit to live and work in"

"Isn't that going to be dangerous?" asked Gufran.

"Naturally…" Mashiro rolled her eyes.

"Well then" the boy shrugged his shoulders, stood and donned his uniform cap. "If anybody wants me, I'll be in the Engine Room awaiting orders. Captain, Chief" he nodded to Akeno and Maron before leaving the Bridge.

"Sometimes I believe there is no understanding him"

"He's alright" Maron said, following Gufran's back as he vanished round the corner. The other girls all held bemused expressions. "What?" the redhead demanded.

"I want only the senior Bridge crew to remain along with the Engine Room staff, Macchi, Tsugu, Kaede, the twins and Mikran" Akeno said. "The rest will remain here with the Deputy Captain and get the base's workshops running so we can make more repairs"

"Captain, may I be permitted to remain onboard also?" asked Mina. "Although there isn't going to be any fighting, I hope, I could at least take over from Rin when she gets tired" and Akeno ran that through her mind for a while before agreeing.

"Very well. I am going to take one of the low powered radios as well so we can talk to the ship when we find it"

"At least they are line of sight only" Mashiro noted. "Captain, I would advise caution when talking to them as they might be part of a trap. A submarine could be hiding next to them and then submerge underneath so you'd never see them until it was too late. Also, you should be careful about how you go near them"

"Deputy Captain, I have plotted a course for a full day of high speed running away from the island before turning to head to the _Akashi_ from the south" Rin said proudly.

"We'll make contact with them as soon as possible, see if they will help us and turn away if they won't" Akeno shrugged. "Whichever way you look at it, Maron has said that we need the parts they have – a lot of what she has managed to do will only last a few days at the most" she looked around the Bridge. "I need to speak to the Deputy Captain alone – go tell your divisions what is happening and have them prepare"

"Captain?" Mashiro asked softly when the last person had cleared away.

"Your orders" Akeno pulled out a small packet of paper and handed it over. "Tells you what to do if we do not return by the end of the week"

"I am certain you will" Mashiro replied with a slight smile.

"You didn't seem so confident in my abilities when we started"

"True, but I think I was placed here to gain respect and friendship from others – my entire life has been dedicated to becoming a Blue Mermaid" Mashiro looked out the Bridge windows to see the sparkling waters and pristine beaches. "I was rude to you and others when we first came together, and for that I offer my apologies and tender my resignation as Deputy Captain"

"Yes, you were rude and mean spirited, but we have come together as a family" Akeno shrugged. "Families argue amongst themselves, but they still support one another. Anyway, open those orders when we are not back by the end of the week"

"Aye, Captain" Mashiro nodded and walked off. Akeno waited until she was all alone before letting her resolve crumble. This was not how she wanted to start her training and the toll was starting to damage her health and the only sleep she had been able to get was from pills she had had to order Minami to give to her. The girl looked at the small bottle of pills and saw she had enough for one more night's sleep and she sighed before slipping it into her skirt pocket and taking the Bridge of her ship. With most of the systems shut down, she could hear the sounds of her crew packing up supplies and getting them onto the dockside of the base – it sounded alien to her mind.

" _Bridge, Radio Room_ "

"Captain here"

" _Getting another message from the school. All ships are ordered to report their locations to the Blue Mermaids and await an escort back to port. Getting another one… Really an odd one_ "

"What does that say?"

"My daughter, the shrine has blown again _– sent directly to us_ "

"Listen out – maintain radio silence"

#

"Captain, all compartments have been sealed" Kouko said. On this trip, she was going to act as the damage control officer and had gone round and closed and secured every hatch so the entire ship was as watertight as possible.

"Good" Akeno looked around the quiet Bridge. "Chief Navigator, Operations"

"Chief Navigator, Operations" replied Rin.

"Both engines slow together… Keep this heading until we're clear of the islands then fourth battle speed on course 123" Akeno bent down to the speaking tube. "Maron, can you handle that?"

" _Sure… The engines will get us there and back_ " came her cheerful reply. " _Even if I have to get out and push_ "

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that"

" _Me too – pushing this amount of weight will give me back ache_ "

"Radar, go active for five seconds and record the read out – I want a plot of where everything is in the area" Akeno said. "Macchi, sing out like anything if you see anything bigger then a seagull"

" _Not a single wave will get by me without me knowing_ " the girl replied.

"What do you want us to do?" asked the galley crew. They had portioned out food and delivered it to the Engine Room before coming up to the Bridge.

"Man the damage control board" Akeno said. "Rin, we're clear of the island area… Go to fourth battle speed"

"Yes, Ma'am" and the ship seemed to be eager to go faster as it lept forwards and into possible danger. Guided by Rin's expert hand on the Helm, the _Harekaze_ swung round and headed away and on its vital mission.

#

"Let us recap" Principal Munetani said. "The majority of our fleet has gone quiet and is firing upon other ships that get close enough. All of the ships involved were those involved with the training exercise along with the _Admiral Graf Spee_ and the I-201"

"That's about it…" said an aide. "We had brief radio communication from the Captain of _Musashi_ who reported the majority of her crew had mutinied and gave a brief description of what happened before going silent after an audible scuffle. However, we also believe the _Harekaze_ has not mutinied and seems to be going to great lengths in not hurting people. The few times she has encountered other vessels, she's fired to disable only. We have tried to contact her, but she is not replying to anything and we have no idea where she might be"

"Principal, _Akashi_ is reporting engine problems and is going to be escorted back to port by a Blue Mermaid ship"

"Isn't she in port?"

"Yes… It could be a plot to draw out the _Harekaze_ or _Musashi_ "

"If we send a message to either, it could be bad for us" one of the other aides said.

"Unless we code it very well" Mashiro's mother said with a smile. "Have this sent out as a message…"

#

" _Captain, I think I see something on the horizon_ " Macchi called down. " _Looks like_ Akashi _but I can't be certain_ "

"Slow to half speed" Akeno ordered. "Can you see anything else?" she asked the lookout.

" _Not yet_ "

"Sonar, Radio, Radar?"

" _Nothing we can see_ " they replied at the same time.

" _I can't even hear the screws from the_ Akashi" Kaede added. " _They must have had to shut down everything_ "

"Maron, be ready to go to full speed from half speed without the normal progression"

" _Something wrong_?"

"I don't know" Akeno said, but she wasn't entirely sure what though. "Mina, do you know how to work the guns?"

"Yes" the German girl was taken by surprise by the question.

"Good… Tama, can you and Mina go to the guns and load training rounds into the barrels – just in case"

"You think there might be a hidden surprise?" asked Tama.

"I am sure" Akeno replied. "Macchi, send a message to the _Akashi_ via signal lamp and tell them who we are"

" _Understood_ "

" _Message coming in from the school_ " Tsugu called. " _Directly to us_ "

"What does it say?" Akeno frowned.

" _Stay away from the_ Akashi _… It is a fake ship and is a trap set by Blue Mermaids_ "

"Rin, spin us away"

" _SHIPS INCOMING!_ " screamed Macchi.

"Rin, escape course. Maron, full speed on the engines. Tama, Mina… Open fire as close as possible and ward them off"

" _They are better armed and faster_ " Macchi called. Akeno froze for several moments as the sounds of orders being shouted and gunfire filled the Bridge.

"Mei" she said quietly, "Do we have live torpedoes?"

"Y-Y-Yes" the girl stammered.

"Load a live torpedo into one of the tubes and prepare to fire at the fake _Akashi_ "

"Captain?" Mei wasn't entirely sure what she heard was true.

"Set it to impact as far back as possible" Akeno instructed. "I don't want to hurt people, but my first duty is to the crew and the _Harekaze_. At least this way we escape and the Blue Mermaids will have to turn round to help whoever that is"

"Aye, Captain" Mei replied and set off to carry out her orders. Just as the torpedo was launched, one of the Blue Mermaid shots soared over the top of the _Harekaze_ and detonated right in front of the Bridge – sending shock waves through the compartment and glass around like tiny darts. The girls were sent crashing into bulkheads and it took them a few seconds to get back to their feet.

"Captain!" Mikran saw both Akeno and Kouko crumpled on the floor with pooling blood and broken limbs.

"Engine Room, make smoke" one of the twins said.

" _Aye, Aye_ "

"Tama, Mina, you need to get back here quickly" the other one said. The pair came racing back up to see their fallen shipmates getting some first aid before being hurried to Sickbay.

" _No…_ " whispered Tama.

"Who is next in line?" asked Mina.

"It should be the Deputy Captain and then Kouko" Tama replied

"So who is senior…? Who has command?"

"Me" said a voice over the lingering sounds of battle.

"You?" Mina turned to look at the scared looking girl.

"Mina, take the Helm. Tsugu, send a message in plain language to the Deputy Captain and tell her we've been attacked and the Captain and Kouko have both been wounded and that I have assumed command. Chief Engineer, can you give us any more speed?"

" _Maybe another four or five knots_ "

"Good enough" Rin Shiretoko said as she took a deep breath to steady her nerves and stepped up to the plate. She wanted to run away and hide, but this was no time to be afraid and she was going to do her very best for the Captain. "Mina, get us away from here and change course for the island the minute that we are out of their sight"

" _They will be able to track us using their radar_ " Macchi called down from the lookout post.

"Damn" Rin uttered softly. "Mei, can you fire a torpedo backwards?"

"Backwards?"

"Over the stern"

"Yes, but the first tube from the launcher and not right over the back"

"Good enough – get it ready"

"What do you plan to do?" asked Mina as she held the wheel.

"I know all about being a chicken" Rin said. "We're going to turn around and charge right at the Blue Mermaid ship. When it moves to avoid a collision, Mei will launch the torpedo and disable the engine"

"We're inside their range" Mei said.

"Standby" Rin said firmly. "Mina, sound collision stations. All hands, brace for impact"

 **A/N:**

 **Well, reviews in the normal manner please**

 **Robert**


	4. Surprising Help…

**Surprising Help…**

"Principal, we have intercepted a message from the _Harekaze_. It appears as if our message was too late and the Blue Mermaids opened fire on them – seriously injuring the Captain and Secretary"

" _THOSE FOOLS_!" Mashiro's mother thundered. "By doing that, they might as well have told the girls they are going to be killed. I assume my daughter has assumed command?"

"That is the interesting part – it seems your daughter is not onboard… The Navigator has assumed command"

"Interesting… Get me a direct line to the Blue Mermaid command centre"

"I doubt they will want to speak to you"

"Tell them…" Principal Munetani paused and then smiled as if remembering something from long ago. "Tell them that the hero of the _Kurushima_ will open fire on their fleet and send it to the bottom of the ocean"

"Principal…?"

"That ought to get their attention. After you have done that, put out a request for any merchant vessels to report _Harekaze_ 's position, course and speed. We have to try and make contact with that ship at all costs…"

#

"Minami has taken Mei and Tama to act as Nurses while she works on the Captain and Kouko" Rin said. "At the moment, we're running at maximum speed back to the island with everything switched off – including all the exterior lights. I hope we can pretend to be a ghost" she added in a whisper. "I want everybody who can be spared to start working on the damage" she added more strongly.

"According to the Deputy Captain, everything is alright for when we come in – they have already flooded the drydock so we can come straight in" Tsugu said and then the quiet girl frowned. "Do you think that the virus infected the Blue Mermaids?"

"Anything is possible" Macchi said from the back of the Bridge, "And it would seem logical if they have boarded other ships in the training fleet. There is the question of if we are being searched and followed"

"What do you mean?"

"With everything but the radio receiver switched off, we are reduced to how far I can see at night. If we encounter fog, we'd be likely to crash into something before I had a chance to call out"

"We'll use the Radar system if we have to" Rin frowned, trying to decide what Akeno or Mashiro would do if they were in her shoes. "Until we get back to the island, I want the guns and torpedoes fully loaded" the girl added.

"You think we might get attacked?" Mina asked.

"Well…" Gufran said, "If that fake freighter was anything to go by" and the boy shrugged. "I wonder why they never tried to communicate with us first though"

"Do you think that the Blue Mermaids are trying to take over?" asked Mei.

"The Blue Mermaids have kept the peace for decades – I refuse to believe they would turn now" Kaede shook her head and spoke quite firmly – getting surprising looks from people as she was the most calm and cultured person onboard. "I admit that there has been a push to make the Blue Mermaids a bit more militant, but nothing like this… Maybe a rogue group had taken over and is trying to force matters – it's not unknown after all"

"I agree with Kaede – the Blue Mermaids, as a whole, can't be responsible. However, with most of them far away on goodwill visits and joint exercises…" Maron shrugged her shoulders. "It would be a good time to strike"

"Surely the navy would do something" Tama spoke up.

"Yes, but if you want to cut off an island, you would need more ships and the navy would provide that"

"Do you think this is a coup? Like in some of the African nations?" Gufran frowned.

"I don't know" Rin admitted. "All I know is I want to get back to the island and turn everything over to the Deputy Captain – she will know what to do"

"I think you are doing well enough" Mina smiled warmly.

"You… You think?"

"Of course"

"Oh" Rin seemed to get better. "Maron, can we get to the island any faster?"

"We are at maximum revolutions already" the Chief Engineer replied, "But I am sure I can get another few knots out of my girl"

"Do you think the Emperor will be okay?" asked Kaede.

"You think they'd throw him off the throne?"

"It's treason if they do"

"If one was to do it, you would need the help of the navy – which they might well have. Stop ships coming to aid us, occupy Tokyo and overthrow the government… Its how I would do it"

"But what about the ground forces?" Mina asked. "Surely they would do something to stop them"

"Unless they are in on it too" said Mei bitterly.

"If there _isn't_ anybody involved in this, raise your hands" Tama said and, to a girl, the others all did so.

"Ship on the starboard bow!" one of the skeleton crew shouted.

"What sort of ship?" Rin asked.

"Cargo ship – it's the _Mamiya_ "

"Are you sure…?"

"Yeah… I can see her name on the bow"

"Battlestations" Rin decided. "Just in case"

# # # # #

As it turned out, her fears were unfounded and it turned out that _Mamiya_ was who she said she was. Rin quickly had the _Harekaze_ come alongside and started to get as much food onboard as possible along with the few spare parts she carried. Although a food resupply ship, she carried a few of the essentials just in case any ship she encountered happened to need them. Before leaving, the _Mamiya_ 's Captain handed over a coded message for Mashiro before giving the crew updated positions for all Blue Mermaid ships. When Rin asked what the _Mamiya_ intended to do, she was told that she was going to head into port as previously ordered to do so. A few hours later, and after some repairs had been finished, the two ships parted and the _Harekaze_ sailed at full speed towards the island and the rest of her crew. Rin and the others were not surprised when Mashiro came out by Skipper and took over command.

"I turn command of the _Harekaze_ over to you, Deputy Captain" the girl said shakily.

"Thank you" Mashiro said formally and then smiled. "And congratulations"

"Ma'am?"

"Two out of three senior officers were incapacitated, the Bridge was damaged, you faced your fears and assumed command and managed to evade. Not only that, but you also managed to effect repairs and resupply from a friendly vessel… A very fine first command" she patted Rin on the shoulders. "Go to Minami, get a sleeping pill and have as much rest as possible"

"Aye, Aye, Ma'am"

#

Mashiro was reading reports from all departments when the news came in – they had been spotted by a submarine and a Blue Mermaid task group would arrive in three hours to arrest them all. It was to her surprise when the task force was made up of just one ship – a black hulled Blue Mermaid vessel. With caution, Mashiro allowed it into the bay and the other ship's Captain came onboard where there was a family reunion of sorts.

"Where is your Captain?" asked Mafuyu Munetani.

"She was injured in an ambush and is in our Sickbay – I have command"

"Damn… Then I'll tell you this in her place. Your Doctor was right about it being some sort of mind controlling virus that takes over a person, but the original reasons behind it were much more innocent. Our sister managed to find a report based on old research with underwater survival – seems there were a few experiments some time ago on a submarine which sank. Recent volcanic eruptions forced it to come to the surface, so the scientists hitched a lift to get all of the data and then scuttle the sub"

"But something went wrong"

"Yes… One of the boxes on the sub was broken, but there appeared to be nothing in it so they just brought it back anyway. That box contained samples of the virus which were still live and it infected the crew of the _Sarushima_ and the rest of the training fleet"

"But why these rat like hamsters?"

"Something to do with the way it is transmitted to the human" Mafuyu shrugged. "Despite this, the Blue Mermaid HQ thinks you are still mutineers and that this is somehow part of your plot"

"Well we have a few ideas of our own" Mashiro said. "Apart from yourself, Chief Haraga and a few others, the majority of the Blue Mermaid ships here are those known to be occasional trouble makers. They were left behind when the fleet sailed to America to take part in games and some of us think that was their entire plan"

"They would need to have support"

"And they would have it in the form of the navy"

"Surely not"

"They have to in order to pull this off – there should have been at least a few navy observers, but none were listed for the training sessions and all of the naval communication channels have gone silent" and Mafuyu shook her head.

"Damn" she said softly. "I'd give you a guts infusion, but I think you would have to be the one to give me it"

"That would be a nice change" Mashiro muttered. "Our problem is trying to free the crews of the virus before anything stupid happens, but we don't know where any of the fleet is. For that matter, how did you find us?"

"I knew there had to be an island here and remembered I read the Germans having dumped a load of stuff for the _Spee_ , so I decided to do something about it. We met up with the supply ship and asked them to put a low powered tracer into one of the boxes. Don't worry, though, it self-destructed. Now, the question is what we do now"

"I don't understand"

"Blue Mermaid fleets or groups have sealed off most of the Marine High Schools and not letting ships out and only allowing those in when they follow orders and return to port. As it stands, the Blue Mermaid forces that are acting treasonous are too strong for us to take on together"

" _Us_?"

"They have prevented mother from leaving – I can only assume that they will shortly issue orders to capture me and our sister" and Mafuyu shrugged. "At least you stand a better chance if you have us as company"

"True… I will have to ask the Captain though"

"Is she well enough to resume command?"

"Not yet, but I am running my decisions past her"

"You are in command"

"Yes, but she is still my Captain"

"Ah" Mafuyu knew only too well what Mashiro meant.

"I doubt she will say no" Mashiro shrugged. "It is better to have the ability to see what is coming with your blimp"

"Be nice for you to stage out with the ability to see"

"Yes – not being able to use our search systems has been annoying" Mashiro agreed, "Though I think some of them have taken up the chance to do crosswords"

"Okay… How are you handling the food supply?"

"We're rationing for the time being mainly because we're unsure when we can resupply. You should do the same as well"

"I will do" and Mashiro's sister looked at her oddly. "How are you holding up?"

"I am okay when you think that I am being held accountable for sinking a ship, damaging more and accused of mutiny"

"That's the one thing I don't understand – how did _Sarushima_ sink so quickly? The report you sent with the girls said that she was hit with a training torpedo – that should not have caused too great amount of damage to a modern ship like that"

"So that leaves…"

"So that leaves us with the thought you were fired upon on purpose and then Instructor Furushou sank her own boat on purpose to frame you"

"So you think that she was infected?"

"I have known her since before you were born, Mashiro – there is no way on earth she would act like this otherwise" she broke off as she saw crewmembers coming onboard the _Harekaze_. "Still wearing uniform?" Mafuyu raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?"

"Just asking… Listen, I know you want to keep going on the rations and stuff, but what do you say to me having my ship's cook do something for your crew? You could do with the food after all"

"Just because I don't like sushi… Are you going to tease me about this even now?"

"Yep"

" _I'm_ so _unlucky_ " Mashiro muttered. "Mafuyu?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Mom is alright? I mean, they wouldn't hurt her, would they?" Mashiro asked in a scared voice.

"I… I don't know" her sister admitted. "I hope not" she added. "I just hope the Blue Mermaids can get back in time"

"You've contacted them?"

"I think so, but I can't be sure if they got the message or not. The message was sent through the special channels, but I suspect they are being monitored"

"Makes sense to monitor the communications of the enemy fleet"

"Two boats doesn't make a fleet, Mashiro"

"True, but we need more ships on our side before we go back and force our way to the government"

"Mmm… When can you be ready for sea?" Mafuyu asked her younger sister.

"Couple of hours… The Chief Engineer wants to inspect the engines for any problems and give them a full servicing"

"Captain!" one of Mafuyu's crew came running up and handed her a piece of paper – the older sister taking it and reading it. Her eyes widened before looking up at her crew member. "Be ready to go to sea" she said. "Oh, and prepare the weapon systems"

"Whats happened?"

"You need to get those engines back online and everyone onboard – we've been found"

"How?" Mashiro was alarmed and ran over to the Bridge telephones.

"Some sort of submarine was following me… We'll get going now and try to disable it – you get your crew back on board"

"Right" Mashiro nodded and picked up the handset. "All hands to General Quarters! Weapons departments get training rounds loaded" and she slapped the alarms for good measure. Flicking another switch, she contacted the Engine Room.

" _Hello, Gufran here_ " and it took a moment for Mashiro to remember there was a boy onboard the _Harekaze_.

"Gufran, tell Maron we need the engines working and ready for full speed"

" _She's going to love that_ " he said. " _The port engine is in pieces and the starboard has no fuel_ "

"Get that fuelled and the other one put back together as quickly as possible"

" _Aye, Aye… Whats the rush_?"

"We've been discovered, there is a rogue Blue Mermaid fleet coming towards us at high speed and a submarine outside. My sister has gone out there to find and disable it"

" _I'll let her know_ " and Gufran hung up.

" _Lookout manned and ready_ "

" _Radar manned and ready_ "

" _Sonar system manned and ready to go_ "

" _Kitchen is sort of okay_ "

"Chief Navigator is on the Helm"

"How did you lot all get here so quickly?" Mashiro asked.

"Luck… That and the fact we figured your sister would be followed" Rin said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Bridge to Kitchen, can you send a pot of strong coffee to the Bridge?"

" _But that means cutting into the rations_ "

"Well take it out of the emergency supplies – the Chief Navigator needs some on the double" Mashiro called down.

" _Okay_ "

"You should be asleep – you haven't rested in days"

"I know" Rin sighed and then straightened her posture and looked at Mashiro. "Helm, ready for orders"

" _Message from the Benten – they have detected the submarine and are going to engage. Our orders are to get underway and head out to sea_ " Tsugu called from her station.

"Acknowledge and tell them we're getting supplies and crew onboard" Mashiro ordered.

"Finally… _I get to send a message_ "

" _Bridge, Engine Room_ " Maron called up.

"Go ahead"

" _You have one engine ready to go_ "

"You could not have fuelled it up this fast"

" _We're pouring it in as we speak_ "

"Very well…" Mashiro looked at her watch. "Rin, I am going to speak to Mina – do you know where she is?"

"Um… Yes, sort of…"

"What is it?"

"Well she's spending time with Kouko"

"And… Oh! Oh my" Mashiro blushed heavily. "I'll talk to her later then" and she tried to put the thoughts of what Mina and Kouko were doing in Kouko's quarters.

" _Another message from the_ Benten _… They have fired torpedoes and disabled the submarine which has come to the surface_ "

" _All crew accounted for_ " Momo called over a voice pipe.

"Rin, starboard engine slow ahead… Get us out of here"

"Starboard engine slow ahead" Rin repeated the order as the pot of coffee arrived.

"Radar, give me the position of _Benten_. Sonar, any contacts underwater I should know about?"

# # # # #

"… and made a run for it" Mashiro was stood at attention as she reported to Akeno who was lying in her bed and resting.

"Where is your sister now?" Akeno asked softly.

"Sitting off our port bow and using her Radar to search" Mashiro answered. "We're heading in random directions which change every few hours to try and stay free"

"I can't believe that some of the Blue Mermaids would be like this" the head haired girl shook her head softly.

"My sister might have got a message through, but she's not had any reply at all. Mom and Mashimo seem to be cut off from communications. The rest of the school has been ordered to port under escort, but we can't raise them on the radio either. A lot of the crew are worried not just for themselves but also for their families and they wonder if they are in danger"

"What have you told them?" Akeno winced from the head movement.

"Not much… I've tried to reassure them, but I don't think it is working"

"Hmm… How is that boy doing?"

"Well he seems to be having great fun with Maron down in the Engine Room – the pair of them seem to take great delight in fixing the smallest of problems" Mashiro chuckled. "I suspect they have something of a crush on each other" and Akeno smiled weakly.

"I miss being on the Bridge"

"We miss you as well, but if this is what the Doctor ordered, you will have to do it. Now, Captain, do you have any orders?"

"Just keep doing what you are, Shiro… The ship seems to be running well without me in charge"

"It might be running well, Captain, but we long for our heart and soul"

"Shiro… When did you become a poet?" and the two girls shared in the laughter. "Oh, how is Mina?"

"Busy"

"Doing what?"

"Kouko"

"Huh?"

"It seems…" Mashiro wondered if Akeno knew a lot about relationships. "It seems that they have fallen in love with each other"

"Those two…? Wow – I never knew you could fall in love with another girl"

#

Mashiro was somewhat right, but Mina was just sat with Kouko and helping her to get dressed and to sit up on her bed. At first, Mina had been quiet whenever Kouko was near, but seeing the girl injured had almost broken her heart and she'd spent every possible moment with her. Kouko, for her part, had made it quite clear to Mina that she was a lesbian but wanted to keep it quiet because the rules of being a Blue Mermaid meant that lesbians could not serve – making it difficult for Kouko. Although, now that she thought of it, Mina wasn't actually in her class of trainees…

"Mina…?"

"Yeah?"

"Is this okay between us?" Kouko asked.

"I have no duties on this ship… Oh, you mean us?" Mina paused and thought about it. "I don't see a problem with it, but I know how badly you want to be a Blue Mermaid so we will have to keep this a secret as long as possible. You know, in Germany, they allow lesbians to serve"

"They do?"

"Yeah – so you could always come with me if the worst comes to the worst" and Kouko leaned over and kissed Mina gently on the lips.

"Thank you" she whispered. "I would hate to leave my friends, but at least I would still be able to talk them via emails and stuff"

"You'd really give it all up for me?" asked Mina.

"I think so… Yes! I'm sure that my parents would understand" Kouko said. The two looked at each other before coming together and starting a passionate kiss. Outer clothing was coming off when there was a thud and the air was filled with the sounds of alarms going off"

" _Battlestations – we've been hit by a torpedo_ " Mashiro's voice filtered through the voice pipe. The pair broke apart quickly and exchanged worried looks before Kouko flailed around for her shoes.

"Give me a hand getting these on" she said.

"Where are you going?"

"I might be injured and somewhat dizzy, but if I sat on the deck I can still be of use"

"Why can't I be mad at you?" Mina asked as she smiled and helped to put the shoes on Kouko's feet and got her to a standing position. "You're bleeding" she said.

"Wrap me up tightly with a bandage after you put a plaster on it" Kouko said.

"You are going to hurt yourself even more" Mina softly said as she found a large enough plaster, put it on and then tied bandages round Kouko's middle.

"Maybe, but we are under attack and my place is on the Bridge"

"I'll come with you" Mina said. "Somebody has to look after you" and, after another quick kiss, the pair finished with Kouko's dressing and went quickly to the Bridge.

# # # # #

"Kaede, where are those torpedoes coming from?" Mashiro demanded.

" _I can not tell you, Deputy Captain – they are silent before they get close and acquire us_ "

"Understood"

"Ship's Secretary reporting for duty" Kouko spoke up from the back of the Bridge.

"You should be in bed recovering"

"Yes, but my place is on the Bridge"

"Very well… Take damage reports" Mashiro turned back to look out of the windows. "Lookouts, give me the course whenever you see a torpedo. Rin, when you hear it, steer us on that course and head towards it. Standby to launch Depth Charges when we are over the most likely spot. Tsugu, tell _Benten_ what we plan to do" she bent down to the speaking tube. "Engine Room, how are we doing?"

" _We've got a few leaks and a couple of nuts on the engine beds have sheared off – Guffy is down there with some of the girls sorting it out_ " Maron replied. " _Do you still want me to keep full speed_?"

"For now… Bridge out" Mashiro sighed.

"Torpedoes to starboard!" one of the lookouts called. "They started their run five thousand meters"

"Rin, hard to starboard – steer us directly on their course. Tama, load the forward gun and fire at that spot"

"Why?"

"I'm hoping they think we've spotted them" she looked back at Rin. "Steady on this course. Maron, be ready for full emergency power on the engines"

" _Ready_ "

"Rin, slow together"

"What are you doing?" demanded Mei.

"We're going to drift over the submarine as if we have suddenly had engine failure. As it comes out from under our stern, we go to full emergency speed and drop a Depth Charge over the side"

"Oh, that's okay then"

"Deputy Captain, flooding reported in the last three workshops and two of the storage sheds" Kouko was being propped up by Mina. "It's manageable for now with the pumps"

"Acknowledged" Mashiro sounded calm, but inside she was wishing that Akeno was up here and making all of the decisions. Commanding a ship in a fight was easier on paper and classroom games than in real life and she was beginning to have doubts. Counting down the seconds, she slapped her hand on the bulkhead. "Emergency speed now! Mei, drop the charge" and the _Harekaze_ seemed to jump forward as the engines were opened up and she went to top speed from a standing start. There was a faint thud and whoosh as the depth charge was launched into the sea and a wait of several seconds before it reached the suspected level before detonating – disabling the submarine and forcing it to surface. "Macchi – send a light message to the submarine telling them we are not mutineers and that we only fired to defend ourselves"

" _Can we throttle down now_?" asked Maron.

"I think so" Mashiro said. "Come down to half ahead together. What is our damage?" she asked Kouko.

"Flooding aft of the Engine Room, Number 1 Turbine is leaking, there was a fire in the Number 4 workshop and some of the quarters have a bit of water in them" she replied. "I think we can handle it though" the girl added proudly.

" _Easy for you to say_ " grumbled Maron.

" _Message from the_ Benten" Tsugu said. " _We're to follow it out of the area and report damage_ "

"Kouko, take a full report of damage to the Radio Room and then go back to bed. Mina, I trust you can make sure she stays there"

"Not a problem"

"That's…" she shook her head as the two left, "That's not what I meant. Never mind… Rin, port twenty degrees and come up to the _Benten_ 's port side"

"Port twenty degrees, come to the port side" and Rin swung the wheel over to bring the ship about.

"I am going to report to the Captain what has happened" Mashiro announced. "Mei, you have the Bridge until I return"

"Yes, Deputy Captain"

#

"… and that's all, Captain"

"You did well, Shiro – better than what I could have done"

"I doubt it, Captain… I am so unlucky most of the time"

"Have faith, Shiro"

"If you insist" Mashiro huffed. "Has the Doctor said when you can report for duty?" she asked with hope.

"Tomorrow" Akeno replied with a smile. "Minami wants me to have one complete day recovered before letting me out. Personally, I think she is overreacting"

"Minami is a talented Doctor – I believe it would be wise to listen to her"

"Maybe I will" and Akeno fell silent and seemed to worry. "Any messages from _Musashi_?"

"Nothing" Mashiro had the urge to sit down and hug Akeno. "I have left standing orders for anything about the ship to be sent straight down here"

"I worry about Moka"

"Moka?"

"Childhood nickname – she calls me Mike… She is really the only family I have left now"

"Apart from us" Mashiro raised an eyebrow.

"Apart from the crew" Akeno clasped her hands together and bowed her head. "I worry a lot about her because she is my best and oldest friend. I keep going over the last message sent from her, I had somebody send me down a copy of it, and its almost as if she was hurt to keep her quiet. You don't think they would _kill_ her, do you?"

"I hope not" Mashiro said and Akeno knew, deep down, that she meant it. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Well… There is _one_ thing, but you will think it childish"

"I promise not to"

"Read me a story"

"Huh…?" it wasn't what Mashiro was thinking of.

"When I was ill or stressed or frightened, my Mom would always read me a story and I'd be so calm that I would go to sleep" and Akeno, to Mashiro, looked so small and vulnerable that she did not have it in her heart to refuse. Akeno opened the bedside drawer and pulled out a much loved and used book.

" _The Little Mermaid_ …? I should have guessed"

#

"Wow… I didn't know it could be like that" Kouko said breathlessly. "Its better than doing it by myself" she added, pulling the covers over herself and Mina. She wasn't entirely sure how or why their relationship had gone from the shy and hidden glances to sleeping together, but Kouko felt comfortable for the first time in ages.

"It will get better as we go on together" murmured Mina as she used a finger to draw lazy patterns on Kouko's bare stomach. The other girl giggled at the tickling feeling it gave her before sighing in contentment.

"Do you think we should tell the others?" she asked.

"Not yet… Besides, I think they know we are sort of together"

"Oh… I don't want this to end when this is all over, but I can't abandon my shipmates and you can not abandon yours" and Mina tilted her head in thought but mashing her lips into Kouko's. The pair of them kissed for several moments before Kouko suddenly became shy and blushed heavily and prettily. "Mina…?"

"Yes?"

"Can… Can I please try to do what you did to me?"

"Think you can handle that…?" Mina cocked an eyebrow in amusment.

"Well" Kouko replied, letting her right hand drift down to Mina's wet and moist centre, "There is only one way to find out"

"Ooooohhhhhh" Mina moaned loudly as fingers filled spaces suddenly, "I completely agree" and two girls started to make love to each other once more.

#

Kaede, Macchi and Tsugu looked at each other.

"See no evil" Kaede said.

"Hear no evil" added Macchi.

"Speak no evil" finished Tsugu and the trio hurried away from the closed door as far away as possible.

#

"Captain on the Bridge!" Mashiro called the next day.

"Keep working" Akeno threw a somewhat empty glare at Mashiro who smiled at her Captain. "Report, Deputy Captain"

"We are in formation with the _Benten_ with low power radio between us, repairs from the damage sustained by torpedo attack have almost been fully completed and the ship and crew are doing well under the conditions"

"Good" Akeno ran a hand on the compass case as if thinking it wasn't really there. "Deputy Captain, you are relieved of duty for the next twenty four hours… Get some rest"

"Aye, Ma'am" Mashiro drew herself to attention, saluted, turned smartly on her heel andleft the Bridge.

"Captain?" it was Rin at the Helm.

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you are back… The Deputy Captain is a great person, but she's not like you"

"I rather think she is better" Akeno smiled, "As is a certain Chief Navigator that assumed command in a crisis"

"I only tried to do what you would have – I was scared the entire time"

"But even so, you still managed to get the ship and crew out of there without too much major damage" Akeno crossed over and gave her a quick hug before turning to look out the Bridge windows. "You know, we need some sort of chair here"

#

"Principal, we have something on the rat based virus" Mashiro's mother's aide came in with a folder.

"What is it?"

"The DNA has been altered from what it was supposed to be – by artificial means too… From what the Doctors at the school have been able to work out, those infected are controlled by a radio signal"

"So jam the signal"

"That would be not a good idea. Each infected person is controlled by the hive mind, if you will, and there is a chance they could be triggered to 'self destruct' after a fashion"

"Ah"

"The good news is that the girls taken prisoner have been released"

"I thought they were being held in permanent custody?"

"I found an obscure rule about your being responsible for them during classes and term" the aide said with a shrug. "When they tried to resist, I showed them a court order made out by Child Services court which ordered them to turn them over to us"

"Where are they now?"

"Being looked over by the school Doctor before sent to quarters for at least a full day's rest"

"Good… Have you been able to get through the jamming?"

"Not yet"

"In that case, get me a line through to Tonemi High…"

 **A/N:**

 **Well, reviews in the normal manner please**

 **Robert**


	5. Traitors and Engagement…

**Traitors and Engagement…**

"Message being flashed from the _Benten_ – 'How much fuel do you have onboard?'"

"Engine Room, Bridge"

" _Engine Room here_ "

"How much fuel do we have?" Akeno asked, trying to come up with the answer in her mind.

" _About two hundred and fifty tons left_ "

"Let them know, Macchi" Akeno said. The lookout, normally found at the top of the ship had offered to do duties from the Bridge on account of the high winds which made it dangerous for her to be that high. After sending the message and wait several minutes, a reply was flashed back to the _Harekaze_

"They reply they have about the same, but have an idea on how to refuel. Instructor Munetani wants to speak to you over the radio" and Akeno nodded and picked up a handset and spent the next ten minutes talking about the state of the ship and its limited supplies. The plan was to send in a team to take over one of the docked ships carrying fuel and food in a shopping mall island, bring it to the _Harekaze_ and _Benten_ and resupply before leaving the ship and sailing away. As the Skippers would be too easily spotted and recognised, the boarding party would go in in the cover of darkness using the _Benten_ 's inflatable drone and get the ship that way. Akeno was not happy about stealing the food and fuel, but Mashiro's sister explained that the extra food would at least allow them to supplement their rations and make things more edible for the crews of both ships. They had to do what they needed to stay free and to prove their innocence whilst Minami worked hard to come up with a solution and a cure.

"Call the Deputy Captain and Department Heads to the Mess Hall" Akeno said. "Macchi, you have the Bridge"

"I… I do?" the girl took off her glasses for a moment in disbelief. "I swear to do my best for the ship in your absence"

"That's all I want"

# # # # #

"… and that is the plan" Akeno explained to Mashiro and the other officers. "The _Harekaze_ and _Benten_ will stay here with the engines switched off and cold – no running lights and no illumination on the Bridge either. All portholes will be covered up and interior lights on the inside edge of the ship dimmed"

"You hope that with a cold ship and little to no light showing, we'll look like a hole in the water" Kouko said. "It could work"

"It should do… My sister came up with it" Mashiro said proudly. "Our one and only problem is if guards are on the supply vessel"

"Can we whip up some fast acting thing to knock them out with" Gufran asked.

"I can" Minami looked at Gufran and Mina oddly. "Why are you two here? This is a meeting of Senior Officers"

"We're the most senior Saudi and German people on here"

"You are the _only_ senior Saudi and German people on the _Harekaze_ "

"Hence why we are the most senior" Mina chimed in.

"Well at least I have two test subjects for testing knock out darts on" Minami grinned evilly.

"We… We got to go!" the pair said and hurried away.

"Don't be mean to my girlfriend!" protested Kouko.

"You are coming out?" Akeno beamed. "That is so cool"

"You are not bothered?"

"Of course…! Everybody should love who they want" and Mashiro sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Can we at least try to get back to business?" she asked.

"Sorry… Minami, can you do it?"

"I think so, but the problem will be delivering it… We don't have enough needles"

"Then we'll go with the plan to rope down" Mashiro said, "And take the chance nobody is onboard"

"How long will it take to get the supply ship ready to go?" Kaede asked.

"A couple of minutes if the engines are in a dead cold state" Maron replied. "Nothing anybody can do about that"

"Can the Blue Mermaid blimp tow it?" Rin asked.

"Seriously…?" Mashiro growled.

"Shiro, be nice to Rin" Akeno scolded her. "To answer your question, no it can not. Whatever will happen, it will be people from Mashiro's sister's ship that will carry out the operation. Our task will be to get the ship ready for refuelling in the dark and take anything else that will help us before we have to leave the ship and go on a task"

"A task? You have had contact with Mother?"

"No… I didn't want to say this with Mina around, but we heard radio traffic from civilian ships in the area – the _Graf Spee_ has been sighted heading towards the Truk Islands"

"Are we going to stop it?" asked Tsugu.

"With the combined power of both ships, we might be able to disable it and board the ship to inject the crew with a serum. If it works on them, we can break our radio silence and tell the fleet what we know… Maybe somebody will listen" Akeno said.

"And if they do not?" asked Macchi.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it… Is there anything else we should talk about?"

"I am worried about the state of the crew's mental health" Minami said slowly. "Although we had a short time on the island base, I am concerned all this action is harming the crew mentally. Would it be possible for the majority of the crew to watch a film in the mess hall?"

"You mean to take their mind off what is happening…?" Akeno looked to Mashiro in silent questioning.

"Its not normal, but this is not a normal situation – I think we can do it this once" Mashiro replied and then rubbed her eyelids. "Captain, request permission to confine myself to my cabin for the next twelve years?"

"Go on, Shiro – you need the rest" and, shortly after, the meeting broke up. "Tsugu, can you send a message to the _Benten_ asking how much time we have until we stop? I want to run a few drills first"

"All we have been doing is weapon drills" Tsugu said, "What else do you plan to do?" the quiet girl asked.

"Not weapon drills" Akeno shook her head.

"Then for what?"

"Abandoning Ship" and Akeno left – leaving Tsugu to her thoughts. She sat alone and wondered just how they were going to help save the _Spee_ and her crew and still have time to clear their own names.

"It isn't the kind of life you thought you'd be living, is it?" Kaede asked as she stepped back into the mess hall.

"No… I know the Captain is doing what is best, but…"

"But you rather prefer to run away and never be found. Trust me, I know how that feels"

"You do?"

"Oh yeah" Kaede let out a snort that was very much unlike her normal bearing. "My father is a loving man, do not get me wrong, but he was wanting me to become much sought after at Court once I had debuted so that he could get more business" and Tsugu got the impression it was more for Kaede's body than personality.

"So how did you end up here?"

"My father owns one of the biggest repair yards in the entire country. When I did not have studies to do, or lessons with special tutors, I would play at the docks by watching boats sail in and out. It was then when I realised I wanted to be a Blue Mermaid… To serve something that was bigger than myself. My father was disappointed in that I would not be of bigger help, but then realised he could tell his friends and rivals that he had a Blue Mermaid for a daughter"

"Yet you love him"

"Of course I do – he is my father after all… No, I just think he is misguided sometimes" and Kaede sighed as she took some water from the large container. "What about you?"

"I was mostly raised by my dad because Mom left him when I was four – she slept with another man and ran off with him. I did well at school, loved listening to radio broadcasts and so I decided to apply to the school so I had the training to apply to become a Blue Mermaid later on. I don't understand why I was placed here when I did very well in my assessment classes, but I guess it is luck of the draw" Tsugu shrugged her shoulders and watched for a few moments as Kaede drank some of her water. "I know he must be worried about me with all this happening. It has been tempting to send him a short message and let him know I am alright. I used to be a good student, but now I am a wanted criminal and all I have to comfort me are this crew and my training"

"At least its something" Kaede frowned before shaking her head. "Do you think you could have been anything else apart from being a Blue Mermaid?"

"Maybe become a radio star and find somebody to love me and marry" Tsugu sighed wistfully.

"Some _body_? Could it be a female?"

"You object?"

"No, because it is not my place. I just have trouble with Kouko and that German girl because I was raised in a traditional minded household regarding love. I would never have thought about doing anything with another female"

"Have you ever tried?"

"Have _you_?"

"No – you?"

"No… I prefer boys and men, Tsugu, but I love the others here as comrades, as friends and as sisters"

"What about Gufran? Fairly sure he's a boy"

"Well…" Kaede finished her water and raised both eyebrows and put on a cheeky grin, "If there is any doubt, maybe we should go and ask Maron" and the two girls laughed before going to their cabins and getting much needed sleep. Before slumber claimed her, Tsugu made a mental note to get to talk to her crewmates more – especially Kaede and Macchi because they spent a lot of their time alone.

#

Only a small number of people were awake on the _Harekaze_ that night, tending panels and controls that were silent and still, looking at fuel manuals and Akeno on the Bridge standing behind the ship's wheel with a canvas stool Maron had made for the person on duty there.

Neither the Captain, those on watch or those asleep could ever guess what was about to happen…

#

" _Benten_ reports a full load of fuel" Tsugu said. "Why do I get the feeling this isn't going to last?" she added.

" _Fuel never lasts long_ " replied Akeno up on the Bridge. " _Out_ "

"So… Off to save the _Spee_ , I guess"

"Looks like it" Gufran said. With nothing to do, the boy was going around talking to the rest of the crew – he'd ended up spending time with Tsugu when he learned she was the radio person. They had a lot in common, sharing a love for the airwaves, and he often came up to the radio room when she was on duty – occasionally, they would talk but more often Tsugu would pass him a spare set of headphones and he'd listen in on the spare radio to radio broadcasts from home over six thousand miles away. Being on the submarine, he'd not had chance to listen to anything and he had been homesick a little. It had been Maron's idea to send him up to Tsugu and see if he could borrow the spare set for an hour or two each day. The girl had agreed on the understanding he'd take her place when she needed a break instead of having to get somebody else to stand her watch while she was away. Gufran was just tuning the radio when he heard an odd noise and stopped and played about with the controls to see if he could get a better signal. "Tsugu, tune your radio to 8588 in AM mode… There's something odd about that"

"You're right" Tsugu said after she had done it and listened for a few seconds. She recorded the sound, did some measurements based on the strength of the signal and her eyes widened. "Bridge, Radio Room – are we all on the ship?"

" _Captain is just about to go to_ Benten" replied Mashiro. " _Is something the matter?_ "

"Yes… Tell her I need to speak to her and you here and its urgent"

"Whats the matter?" asked Gufran, puzzled as to why Tsugu was in a panic.

"That's what I want to know" asked a panting Akeno a few minutes later. Mashiro and herself had run the entire way from the boat she was about to travel in to the Radio Room. Tsugu played the recording she had made and a flicker of recognition passed over Mashiro's face, but the Deputy Captain had been unable to put her finger on it.

"That is a standard Blue Mermaid jamming signal – the strength suggests it is very close"

"And?"

"The only Blue Mermaid ship close enough to be that strong is the _Benten_ "

"You think my sister is involved in this?" Mashiro demanded.

"Mashiro, calm down… We don't know what to believe right now, but we have to assume that Tsugu is right" Akeno calmed the girl down before opening the speaking tube. "Who is on the Helm?" she asked.

" _Mina_ "

"Mina, put your rudder hard to port but don't move the engine controls. Is Mei there?"

" _Yes, I am here_ " Mei said.

"Mei, load torpedoes into the tubes as fast as you can – training rounds only though… Your aim will be the stern of the _Benten_ "

" _Why are we firing on the_ Benten?"

"I'll explain later"

"I'll go down to the Engine Room and alert them for full engine power" Gufran said and hurried out.

"Shiro, we need to go round the ship and have the crew get to Battlestations without sounding alarms" Akeno said. "We have a lot of fresh supplies, part and fuel, so I plan to disable the _Benten_ and get away from here in a hurry"

"I… I understand" Mashiro whispered. "I just thought that something was going right when my sister showed up. At least what she told us about the _Spee_ is true"

"We'll talk later if you want" Akeno held out her hand and Mashiro, slowly and carefully, took it.

#

"All of the crew are at their stations" Kouko said as the pair entered the Bridge.

"Good" Akeno sighed as she knew not everybody would know what the matter was. "Engine Room?"

" _Maron here_ "

"Reverse port engine and full ahead starboard"

" _Reverse port engine and full ahead starboard_ " Maron repeated. Slowly, painfully slowly, the _Harekaze_ started to swing her bow round to the left.

"Mei, fire all torpedoes right into her stern" Akeno ordered. "Tama, follow it up with shots to disable communications and Radar" and the torpedoes were launched as the guns opened up with multiple soft thuds before loud explosion ripped the air as the torpedoes struck home and the shells hit their targets. "Rin, rudder amidships – steady on whatever course you end up on. Engine Room, well done… Both engines together full – obey telegraphs"

" _Aye_ " was Maron's simple reply.

" _Message coming in from_ Benten _via signal lamp_ " Macchi said. " _They say they are sorry for what they did and were only following orders. Instructor Munetani sends an apology to the Deputy Captain… That's all_ "

"Acknowledged. Tama, fire a few shots from the aft batteries at the _Benten_ and then cease firing. Attention everybody, this is the Captain – you can all stand down and relax. Mikran, can you do a curry for everybody?"

" _We already made it_ " she replied.

"CURRY!" Tama shouted and burst off from everyone else.

"Doctor to the Bridge" Mashiro ordered as she saw Akeno, Mei, Kouko, Mina and Rin all in a pile on the floor and groaning in pain.

"Ah… The gunnery officer was hungry?" was all Minami asked when she arrived.

#

"First of all, I want you to know we are still going to be on rations – we just had enough to make one pot of curry with rice for everybody on the ship because we all need a good meal. Second, the reason for our firing on _Benten_ is hard to believe, but it was the only thing we could do to defend ourselves. Gufran was listening to shortwave radio from home when he heard an odd signal and Tsugu listened in and discovered it was a Blue Mermaid jamming signal coming from the _Benten_. Before anybody asks, the Deputy Captain did not know anything about the plan of her sister to trap us" Akeno looked over at the assembled crew with Mina and Gufran taking places at the back.

"What do we do now?" asked Momo. Like a lot of the supply staff, she'd not had much of a chance to be around for discussions.

"We know where the _Spee_ is so we're going to stop it" Akeno replied. "Even if it means we end up getting captured, at least we will have saved lives and maybe the truth will get out"

"Do you think the _Spee_ will join with us?" asked Mina.

"Perhaps, but we don't know its condition… All we know is that it can still make full steam, but you'll know what is what really just by looking at it"

"Do you know what speed she is at?"

"Cruising speed"

"Odd – you would think that the infected would want to get there fast"

"Maybe she was torpedoed and damaged in the shafts somehow" Gufran mused.

"Its possible, but unlikely" replied Mina. "Perhaps they are saving fuel – we know the crews of the infected ships seem to be able to keep their skills at sailing"

"I would agree" Minami said. "From what I have been able to determine, the virus seems to activate those parts of the brain concerned with survival at any and all costs. Boarding them until they are completely disabled might be difficult"

"Even stopped in the water, the ship is a formidable weapon platform" Mina shook her head. "Even firing live rounds, the armour is too strong around the turrets to take them all out"

"What about a boarding action by Skipper?" asked Tsugu.

"They would be blown out of the water"

"What about a torpedo attack?" Mei suggested. "If we fired the torpedoes at the same side of the ship, that side would flood and tilt over. Once it is, we can go round to the other side and board from there because the guns wouldn't be able to get down low enough. The problem is, though, that it would take almost all of the torpedoes to make it work"

"We have to do something" Akeno said, "And we have 18 hours to decide"

"What about the same trick we used when we saved Mina with the smoke?" Kouko suggested, but Mina shook her head.

"That only worked because I disabled the radar and gunnery computers – they will be repaired by now"

"Captain?"

"Yes, Rin?"

"I hate to suggest it because it seems so cowardly, but what if we used the _Harekaze_ as a weapon and ram it into the _Graf Spee_?" and there was silence as the crew realised that it might be their only hope. All that anybody could hear was the sound of the machinery as it hummed away before Akeno picked up her cap and donned it.

"I want this ship ready for combat. I know this is not what we expected to do on our first mission, but the only ship around here not infected or confined to port is us – our mission is to stop the _Admiral Graf Spee_ by whatever means possible. If it means ramming the _Spee_ and taking it with us, we'll do it" the girl seemed to draw inspiration from deep in her soul as she turned to Mashiro.

"Deputy Captain"

"Aye, Captain?" Mashiro straightened to attention.

"Have the crew prepare for combat and man battle stations – if you want me, I will be on the Bridge" and Mashiro sensed the urgency and solemn nature and saluted before spinning round on her heel to face the crew.

"All hands, battlestations"

#

Maron was like all Chief Engineers – she protected her charge but also knew how to get every inch of speed from the engines and she drove them as fast as possible so they could intercept the _Spee_ that much quicker. Safety valves were closed a little tighter, bottles of whiskey found at the island base were poured into the engines to increase the RPM and the upper limits of the engine capacity were tested to their maximums.

Damage control was going round the shop placing vital equipment and supplies in key areas, securing hatches and then dispersing to parts of the ship.

Navigation updated and refined the course of the _Harekaze_ as it steamed towards a fight. They were helped by the constant relaying of position reports of the _Spee_ by Tsugu which allowed them to make sure they engaged the other vessel as far away from the Truk Islands as much as possible.

Both Gunnery and Torpedo crews drilled all through the night loading their weapons and used some of the few large computers to practice aiming skills.

Radar was, at Akeno's order, fully powered up and scanning the sea ahead.

Sonar scanned underwater for any dangers but, strangely, had the second most easier job.

The galley made soup and stew as it was the easiest to make with the supplies and easiest to eat at their stations.

Lookouts were posted in the usual positions as well as at the stern of the ship.

Minami prepared Sickbay for the treatment of casualties with the help of Kouko and anybody that was not otherwise assigned to a station.

On the Bridge, orders were given and carried out as the mighty vessel surged on. Akeno privately wondered if the _Harekaze_ had ever been as busy as it has been now as she looked out of the windows as inky blackness turned, over the course of a few hours, into the golden sunshine.

"Looks like we have luck on our side" Mashiro noted, pointed out of the port windows at the rising sun – almost a red ball of fire in the sky and reminding everybody of the national flag.

"Yes" Akeno clapped her hands together and gave a quick bow towards it.

"Never thought of you as religious" Mashiro noted.

"I'm not totally religious, but I like to pray to the spirit of things"

"I see" Mashiro turned to look out of the windows once more.

" _Radar contact – 15 miles_ " Tsugu reported. " _I'm also getting some strange readings on the radio… I think it is the_ Spee"

"Tama, your target is the _Admiral Graf Spee_ at 15 miles distance" Akeno said. "Target with the forward gun and be ready to open fire"

"Aye"

"Maron, is there anything else you can give us from the engines?"

" _We've already got it redlined_ "

"Have you took the limiters off?"

" _No, but only because they are the last safety feature before they blow up – why do you need even more speed_?"

"Because we've found the _Spee_ " and there was silence until Maron came back with a simple reply.

" _Understood… Engine Room is standing by_ "

"Tama, have you got locked onto the _Spee_?"

"Aye"

"Tsugu, on my order, break radio silence and warn the island that help is here. When you get a reply, transmit to the school and to Blue Mermaid HQ: 'This is the school ship _Harekaze_. We have found evidence of a brainwashing virus infecting the crew of the _Graf Spee_ and intend to stop it from firing on civilians. Akeno, commanding _Harekaze_ , out'… Tama, for the honour of the ship… _Open fire_ "

 **A/N:**

 **Well, reviews in the normal manner please**

 **Robert**


	6. Spee Is Stopped – Preparations For War…

**Spee Is Stopped – Preparations For War…**

" _Another set of misses_ " Macchi reported.

"Well you try firing at a moving target at extreme range" Tama spat out. Akeno and Mashiro exchanged looks but didn't say a word as they gave orders.

" _I have heard from the island leader – they report they are evacuating their civilians and arming their defences_ " Tsugu said.

"That is just enough to shoot back at pirates – nothing this big" Mashiro noted.

"Tama, increase firing rate. Mei, standby for a torpedo attack"

"We're outside the range"

"I know – use training torpedoes for the salvo… We need to see if they will turn"

"And turning will make them slow down" Mei caught on to Akeno's idea.

"She's slowing down slightly already" Mashiro said. "We're well inside the range of her main guns and inside the range of her secondary weapons in about two minutes"

"Maybe they plan to get a cleaner shot at a closer range" Mina suggested. "It is our school's standard tactic after all"

"Hmm…" Akeno made a difficult decision for herself, her crew and her ship. "Maintain speed – steer for the _Spee_ and lock everything we have on her stern and try to disable her – fire when you get full tubes and barrels"

"Captain, might I suggest getting the lookouts and deck crew inside?" Mashiro asked.

"Oh, good idea…"

" _The_ Spee _is slowing a bit more and is turning_ " Macchi called out from high above.

"Apart from the senior officers, clear the Bridge" Akeno ordered. "Mina, you too"

"I'd rather stay, Captain"

"Fine – just stay at the back then" and Akeno muttered something that caused Mashiro to blush.

"We are in range of her secondary armament" the girl said.

" _Turrets on the_ Spee _are turning – she's fired_!"

"Everybody get down!" Akeno yelled as the shells hit the _Harekaze_ 's deck and tore great holes in her.

"Orders to the Helm…?" Rin had not taken cover as the others had and had remained upright at the wheel.

"Are we in torpedo range?"

"I think so… Range finder has been smashed" Mei said.

"Tsugu, use the Radar - what is our range to the _Spee_?"

" _Five and a half miles – closing fast_ "

"Mei, can you fire the torpedoes manually?" Akeno asked.

"Yeah, but with no aiming ability there's no way to target correctly"

"I'll do it… Give me a radio and a big stick – we'll do this the old fashioned way" Mina said.

"You sure?"

"Yep"

"Alright… Be careful. Mei, be ready to fire the torpedoes from the tubes manually when Mina shouts" Akeno ordered. "Rin, starboard 10… Bring us broadside to the _Spee_ "

"Starboard 10… Course 143"

" _Bridge, Engine Room_ "

"Go ahead"

" _We're getting some major damage warnings here… The engines are starting to melt_ " Maron said.

"Can you keep the speed up?"

" _For another three minutes_ "

"Alright, standby to come to a full stop"

" _Aye_ "

"Mashiro, are the Skippers ready for launch?"

"Yes… But I don't see what good they will do…"

"Watch" Akeno gave off a smile.

" _This is Mina, I am in position. Torpedo Officer, be ready to fire the torpedoes one tube at a time_ "

"Sure" Mei replied and passed on the order to the launcher crew. All while this was happening, Tama was laying on good amounts of fire but it was not enough against the hull of the _Spee_ but Akeno had a plan to do something about it.

" _Fire_!" shouted Mina.

"Fire torpedoes one by one" Mei relayed the order.

"Launch the Skippers" Akeno demanded. "Tsugu, its all yours"

" _Aye, Aye_ "

"What are you doing?" Mashiro asked as she watched the Skippers head towards the _Spee_.

"Back up plan" was all that Akeno said in reply. Mei's torpedoes, meanwhile had finished their run and impacted on the propeller shafts reducing the speed to around cruising. "All stop on the engines… Maron, shut them down"

" _Aye, Aye_ "

"Captain…?"

"Shiro, I knew the torpedoes and shells would not do as much damage as we had hoped – so I had Maron load the two Skippers with explosives. Tsugu is guiding them to their target of the prop shafts so they can be fully disabled" and at that moment the two Skippers hit and finally knocked out the engines on the _Spee_.

"That was too easy" Mashiro said. "Kouko, damage report!"

"Turret 3 is out of action, shell damage to pretty much everywhere on the upper deck, fire in some of the storage compartments, fresh water tanks 1 and 3 are damage and leaking… Captain, we're badly damaged and taken on water"

"Very well…" Akeno looked at the crippled _Spee_ and sighed. "Prepare a boarding party and send them over in the boats"

" _TORPEDOES IN THE WATER_ " Macchi shouted from high above them.

"Hard to port – all ahead flank!" Akeno snapped the orders but the reply from Maron in the engine room foretold disaster.

" _Both engines shut down – can't get them started for at least five minutes_ "

" _Torpedoes sound like_ Spee's _biggest ones_ " Kaede called out.

"If that's the case" Mina said, "They will open up the area they hit with a huge explosion"

"All hands, brace for impact – evacuate port side" Mashiro sounded through the intercom system.

"Where will they hit?"

" _Aft_ " Macchi said.

"Maron, get your people out of there!" but Akeno's words came too late as two torpedoes hit with a deafening explosion and a cacophony of alarms, shouting and screaming.

"Captain, flooding in all compartments around the Engine Room" Kouko said as she stuck her head around the rear Bridge bulkhead.

"Engine Room, Bridge. Engine Room, Bridge" Akeno called down but there was no reply. "Mashiro, take whatever crewmembers you can find and assess the damage down there – organise damage control"

"Aye, Ma'am" Mashiro was surprised by the use of her full first name. She recovered quickly and took Mei and Mina with her.

"Tama, can you still target the _Spee_?"

"Yes"

"Then listen carefully… I want you to target the torpedo launchers and the turrets where the guns join them"

"Aye"

"Fire live ammo at them – I want both systems disabled"

"Aye" Tama bent down to issue orders and, a few minutes later, the _Admiral Graf Spee_ was defenceless and a smoking vessel – the gunnery chief having taken her orders to the extreme end.

"Tsugu, radio them and order them to surrender" Akeno said.

" _I've been trying, but no reply_ " came the quick reply.

"Captain, I have the Deputy Captain on the phone" Rin said.

"Shiro, what is the damage?" Akeno took it from Rin's hand.

" _We've got huge holes in the hull, but the pumps are taking care of it for now. Portside engine is smashed to bits and Maron doesn't think we've got a chance to fix it this side of Christmas. The fires have all been extinguished, but we've lost a lot of water and fuel from damaged tanks. We've used up all of our torpedoes and some of our rationed food has been spoilt_ " Mashiro noted.

"Cas… Casualties?" Akeno worried.

" _I don't have a report on that, but Minami might well be too busy_ "

"Okay, have Maron patch up as much of the outside damage as possible" Akeno sighed. "Get a report on injuries as soon as possible and find out if the Doctor has that cure ready… Send Mina to the Bridge. Akeno out" and she replaced the handset. "Tama, put together a boarding party of our best people and take the boats"

"Aye" and Tama left.

"Rin, set your rudder to midships. If you hear you get engine power, however slight it might be, close on the _Spee_ " Akeno gestured at the slightly smoking ship. "I'm going to be back in five minutes"

#

"Right then, these are your orders" Akeno spoke a little later to the boarding parties. "The team under Shiro will board at the stern and move down and forwards on the port side. The team under Kaede will move down and aft on the starboard side. Your aim is to either give the crew of the _Spee_ the injections or knock them out and put them in handcuffs" and Mina started.

"That's cruel"

"As cruel as them firing on innocent people?" Akeno shot back. "Mina, I know you are worried about your crew and I understand that… My point, though, is that _your_ ship just about tore _mine_ to pieces and seriously injured some of my crew! Do you know how hard it was for me not to tell Tama to switch to live rounds and smash the upper decks…?" Akeno felt sorry for the German girl, but she was only telling the truth. "Right, away boarding parties – everyone else continue with damage control" and she watched as the boats were loaded and sent over. Walking back to the Bridge, Rin was still holding the Wheel but talking to somebody on the phone.

"Captain, the Chief Engineer says she's managed to get the starboard engine working, but its jammed in slow ahead"

"Tell her fine and to concentrate on shoring up the hull damage" and Rin nodded and relayed the instructions before putting the handset back on its hook.

"We're really damaged now, aren't we?"

"Yeah – we're lucky enough to be floating for now" Akeno sighed. "How long would it take for us to go on a direct course back to the island at slow ahead?"

"Impossible… We don't have the fuel to get there"

"How much do we have left?"

"About ten tons… Give or take a spoonful"

"Tell Maron to refill the tanks using the mixed up fuel we took from the island and give me a report on that. Find out from Budgeting and the Galley how much food we actually have saved"

"Hmm – Engine Room, Bridge"

" _Engine Room_ "

"Maron, can you spare somebody to come up to the bow and rig a cable for towing?"

" _I read you… I'll come and do it myself_ "

"Tsugu, send a message to the Deputy Captain and ask her to check out from Mina what her ship does for a tow. Rin, go and get some sleep – that's an order"

"No… Captain, somebody has to be here to man the Bridge with you. Everybody else is either curing the _Spee_ 's crew or trying to do as much repair work as possible"

"Do I have to get somebody to drag you to your cabin?" and Rin drew herself up to as much of her height as possible.

"I would like to see you try" and there was a moment of silence before they both burst into giggles.

"Stay then" Akeno shrugged. "Close the _Spee_ when you can… I'm going to the Map room to get a bit of sleep" referring to the small cot that was set up for any of the Bridge crew to use if they were doing a double shift – the argument being that they were only three seconds away in the first place if anybody used it.

#

"The good news is that the _Spee_ has been secured and Mina has a steaming party to get the ship underway" Mashiro said to Akeno several hours later. "The bad news is that there is a Blue Mermaid task force heading this way and will be here in around three hours"

"Then lets get the tow lines set up and get us out of here" Akeno rubbed her eyes from the tiredness she was feeling. "How much food do we have left?"

"Three days… We left a lot of it at the island, but intercepted reports indicate they just left everything when my sister returned there"

"Then we'll go back there and hope the drydock is still intact – the ship needs major repairs"

"I know, Captain, but we're only school girls… This is getting to be damage we're not able to repair. As it is, we're stuck with one engine that is only good for half speed"

"Better then nothing" Akeno shrugged. "Signal Mina to rig for the tow and we'll get underway"

"Aye, Aye, Captain" and Mashiro turned to walk away. As she was about to leave, she looked back over her shoulder. "Captain?"

"Yes?"

"You did good"

#

"You wanted to see me" Akeno said as she sat in her cabin with Kouko perched on the one chair in the room.

"I'd like permission to transfer to Mina's ship… At least until the island"

"You realise this might cause tales to be made?"

"I know, but I've grown close to Mina over the last few days and weeks… I want to spend as much time as possible with her" Kouko replied with a shaky voice.

"I think that most of the crew already knows, but you are aware that I have to put this in the log" Akeno shook her head. "If the school was in another district, then maybe there was something to be done – but you know what the law is"

"I know… I knew what I was doing by coming out in public to the rest of the crew, but I can't pretend to be somebody I am not. Aren't you the same with the _Musashi_ 's captain?"

"Moeka…? No – we just share a close bond that goes beyond friendship and beyond family" Akeno signed a piece of paper and handed it to Kouko. "These are orders transferring you to the _Admiral Graf Spee_ under Acting Captain Friedeburg until we reach Liberty Island. You will act as liaison between us and them due to the language difficulties between our two ships. When we get into the drydock, I will speak to Mina or her Captain and work something else out for the future. You love her a lot, don't you?"

"I do… I have always known I have liked girls compared to boys, but never found a girl I was interested in. During the battle against Mina's ship, I froze a few times because I feared she was in danger and might be injured or even killed" Kouko burst into tears and Akeno took a moment before calling Minami away from Sickbay to give Kouko a light sedative to calm her and give her some rest for an hour.

"Captain to Bridge"

" _Bridge, Mashiro here_ "

"Shiro, have one of the sea boats readied for launch and tell Mina she's about to get another passenger for a few days"

" _Aye, Aye_ "

"Have you spoken to Maron yet?"

" _No… She's busy with Gufran_ "

"Well tell her to come to my cabin"

" _Captain, Maron is_ busy _with Gufran_ "

"I see…" Akeno knew that sex happened between teenagers, but she never thought Maron was interested in sex. "Well I hope they are being quiet"

" _We had a report from the_ Spee's _Sonar Operator that she could hear the pair of them_ "

"REALLY?"

" _Just about_ " Mashiro was heard to be laughing. " _Is the boat needed now?_ "

"In an hour… It can bring back some of the supplies Mina is giving us"

" _Aye… Bridge out_ "

"You wanted me?" Minami knocked and opened the cabin door. Akeno simply gestured at the quietly sobbing Kouko and the Doctor just nodded and stepped over to deal with the problem.

"Like I called, just something to give her an hour's rest" Akeno shrugged. "How are your wounded?"

"I've released some of them to their cabins, but a number of them have internal bruising and need better treatment than anything I can provide"

"What about transfer to the _Spee_?"

"They have about the same equipment as I do… Frankly, I'm surprised none of them are dead"

"Understood… Can you cope with it at the moment?"

"I can cope, but I can't treat it correctly due to damage and lack of supplies"

"Hopefully the base is still intact and you can find what you need there. Mina has agreed to follow us and help"

"Has her Captain not resumed command?" Minami sounded somewhat surprised.

"She's not come round from the injection you gave her, so Mina has assumed command in her place. Like I said, she has agreed to tow us to the island, complete repairs on both our ships and follow us in what we do"

"I don't think there is enough metal to repair the _Harekaze_. I mean no disrespect to it, but it is barely even a vessel at this point"

"I know, but I am not going to let the ship go without a fight" Akeno looked at the clock. "Minami, can you sort out Kouko and then go around the ship gathering the senior officers quietly…? Oh, better include Gufran too"

"Aye, Captain" Minami nodded out of courtesy. "If they ask why, what should I say?" and Akeno looked at the piece of paper handed to her by Tsugu.

"Tell them we're going to pay a courtesy call on another school ship"

# # # # #

"First of all, I will explain why Kouko is not here… She has requested a temporary transfer to the _Spee_ to handle language problems with her crew. Now to the reason you are all here – _Musashi_ has been sighted" Akeno allowed herself to indulge in the reactions of the others.

"Where?" Kaede asked quietly.

"On a direct course for Tokyo" Akeno replied. "The ship appears to be steaming at half ahead from the last four days worth of sightings. If she keeps that level of speed up, there is enough time for us to make repairs, do what we can for the port engine and steam at full speed for Tokyo"

"Even if the _Spee_ 's crew helped us, there is nothing that I could do with the port engine – the entire engine room is smashed" Maron said. "The rest of the repairs… If we worked around the clock and only had a few hours sleep, I think that we could get the hull damage patched up. Our problem, though, is the fuel…"

"How much do we have?" Mashiro enquired.

"About ten tons. I could make that last longer by shutting down the starboard engine, but not even the mixed up fuel from the _Spee_ would work" Maron shook her head. "We're dead in the water"

"Maybe not" Gufran spoke quietly. He had spent the meeting writing on a pad and working out something that might just help them. "Maron, are the water systems still working?"

"Fresh water tanks are either damaged or destroyed"

"Okay, but is the recycling system operational?"

"I think"

"I'm losing you" Mei sighed.

"The recycling system on the _Harekaze_ filters contaminated water to leave only drinking and cleaning water. The stuff it can't filter out is diverted into barrels that is stored for disposal later…" Gufran looked at his pad again. "Captain, Chief… It might be possible to reset the filtering system to filter out contaminants in the fuel from sea water and the heavier fuel from the _Spee_ – leaving us with fuel to get the ship to the best place to stop _Musashi_ "

"Maron – is it possible?"

"Its only a case of reprogramming" the girl replied, "So we can give it a go"

"Do it… I want everybody to help in the repairs except Minami and anyone qualified to help her. The only exception will be Tsugu and her relief to pass messages between us and the _Spee_ … Or give us news about the _Musashi_ and the Blue Mermaid Fleet"

#

Just short of the island, Akeno had insisted the tow line be removed and the _Harekaze_ enter port under her own steam. Boats had been sent ahead and reported back the dock and the facilities were still intact and engineering crews from both ships poured over the heavily damaged _Harekaze_ and worked every possible day to get hull damage repaired, engines fixed and serviced, refuelling completed, injuries treated and supplies. All of the girls, plus Gufran worked around the clocked and, in what had to be a minor miracle, the port engine was made whole again by using spare parts from the _Spee_. The damaged hull plating was not thrown away but patched over with melted and beaten metal and welded into place as a double hull on advice from Gufran – his aim being that if there was a torpedo hit, there'd be little hull damage that would stop the destroyer. Mei and the torpedo crews had, using basic tools and a somewhat outdated manual, constructed torpedoes out of the training rounds they carried to use with just one drawback – they were all live. Tama had her people strip and service every barrel and examine every round for damage. They had increased the number of rounds by copying Mei's group and removing safety packages from the training rounds. Akeno was supervising the installation of new decking when Tsugu ran up to her and handed the Captain a piece of slightly crumpled paper. When it was read, Akeno's eyes widened, then narrowed and finally closed and stayed that way for several seconds.

"Tsugu, call all hands to the training and mess room – rig a radio link to the _Spee_ and have Mina standing by" and Tsugu nodded and hurried off. Akeno looked at her before glancing at the paper in her hand…

 _ **Musashi taken over by hostile forces**_

 _ **She has increased speed and hostiles plan to fire on capital**_

 _ **No ships in range able to stop her in time**_

 _ **Please sink us**_

 _ **China, commanding Musashi**_

#

"I guess you are wondering why you are gathered here… We received a general call from Captain China aboard the _Musashi_ , we don't know how, but she confirms the ship has been taken over by hostile forces. Whoever is controlling the ship has increased speed and they will arrive in range of Yokasuka and Tokyo within hours… The ships of the boys marine high school are deploying, but it will take time for them to get together and attack… We're the only ships that have a chance to stop it or at least try to buy time for some of the civilians to evacuate" Akeno looked over the faces of her crew – battle hardened before most of them had even had chance to finish their first training mission. "The senior officers, Mina and myself believe that there is a chance some or all of us will be killed or badly injured – so I am asking for a volunteer crew" and there was silence before a chair scraped on the deck and Rin stood up.

"Captain, will there be a lot of manoeuvres?"

"I expect so"

"Then you will need a good Navigator and Pilot… Where the _Harekaze_ goes, its fate will be mine"

"If there are going to be injured people, I must stay to treat them" Minami said simply.

"What has happened is dishonourable to the name of peace and to the name of our school" Kaede rose majestically and bowed deeply to Akeno. "It is my duty to restore that honour… Captain, I, Kaede Marikouji, of the Marikouji family, most respectfully request permission to join this quest"

"There's no need to be formal about it. Kaede" Akeno blushed.

"There is every need… You have led us to many battles and come through them all – except where you was knocked out and injured" Maron stood and shrugged her shoulders. "A ship can not sail without her Chief Engineer" and, one by one, the girls all agreed to stay on the ship.

"Gufran?" Akeno looked over to where the Saudi teen had his feet up on a table.

"Well… You see, the way I see it is this – my orders where to observe battle tactics on the I-201 and then return to Yokasuka on one of your ships. As far as I am concerned, those orders remain valid and, if _Musashi_ is in the way…" the boy rose slowly and carefully to his feet and stood at attention. "Gufran Saulman, reporting for duty, Ma'am"

"Thank you… All of you" Akeno clasped her hands and bowed her head in thanks before straightening. "Prepare to ca–" she was cut off by the sound of Kouko from the hatchway.

"Permission to come aboard?" she raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you would be on the _Spee_ " Mashiro commented.

"My heart is telling me to be with Mina when we engage the _Musashi_ , but my duty is to be with you on the _Harekaze_ when we do. If we manage to win this fight and return home, I will be forced to leave because I am a lesbian"

"We can keep quiet about it" Rin looked hopeful.

"I wish we could, but you know what the regulations say" Kouko smiled sadly, "So the Captain has to inform the school when we get back home and I get thrown out. If that is the case, let me fight one good battle amongst my friends and family. If I am to be damned, let me damned for what I truly am" and Akeno made the point of walking over and shaking her hand – showing that she did not have any prejudices at all.

"Thanks…" she said. "All hands, prepare to cast off!" and they scrambled to their duty stations, cast off lines and to bring the engines up to readiness.

#

Three days – that is what they ended up with…

The _Harekaze_ and the _Spee_ both steamed towards the Japanese home islands as fast and as hard as their engines could pound the pistons. The power plants on both ships glowed from the dangerous amounts of speed they were being called upon to give – well beyond their intended emergency settings. Both ships ran near constant training for all departments in almost everything from a simple fire to the Bridge being destroyed and having to abandon ship. The girls on both ships, along with Gufran only left their stations to visit the bathroom and to have a three minute shower and change their uniforms. Akeno ordered, at one point, that the crew could do anything they wanted and that it was open season on the remaining stores – each girl could take what they wanted. Some of them ate until they were full and went to their cabins, others found a quiet spot to pray to their deities, Maron and Gufran went to Maron's quarters to spend time together, Kouko used the radio to talk to Mina and the rest simply sat and wondered what the dawn would bring them. When they got within two hours of the expected position of the _Musashi_ , Akeno ordered the kitchen to be closed and the twins and Mikran to go to Sickbay to be used as Nurses for when the battle started and for the crew to go to Action Stations. On the Bridge of the _Harekaze_ , there was absolute silence except for the occasional Helm order or some report being passed up from the lookouts or the Engine Room. Nobody was eager to get into another fight, but the entire crew was willing to sacrifice themselves and the ship to stop the _Musashi_ and the evil that had taken her over. Tsugu had reported that ships they had passed by had reported their position, situation, course and speed – including the fact that the _Admiral Graff Spee_ was with them.

" _Bridge, Lookout_ " Macchi's voice made Akeno stir from her thoughts about what each person must be thinking.

"Bridge!" Akeno all but yelled from the tension.

" _I see a single ship on the horizon…_ Yamato _class with our school's markings – positive identity of_ Musashi" Macchi said.

"Tell the _Spee_ that and that I intend to attack"

" _Aye, Aye_ "

"Tsugu, break radio silence and send a message to the school"

" _Break radio silence, aye… Standing by_ "

"Tama, are we in range of their guns?"

"Yes… Barely, but we are just in range"

"Very well – load a salvo of training rounds" Akeno ordered. Tama blinked at the order, but issued the orders and soon had a loaded forward battery.

"Captain, the Chief Gunnery Officer reports the forward turret is loaded and ready to fire – we are in range of the enemy target" and Akeno acknowledged the report and watched as the _Musashi_ kept sailing on.

"Then for the honour of the ship… OPEN FIRE!" and the forward turret belched smoke and flame as it fire a pair of shells that raced through the air and stuck the _Musashi_ causing a symbolic dint in her decking. "Tsugu, send the following message to the school 'This is the destroyer Harekaze reporting - We have engaged theBattleship _Musashi_ '..." and they watched as the guns of the opposing ship turned towards them – aiming directly for the Bridge and opening fire.

"Spee _has opened fire_ " called out Macchi from the lookout position.

"You know" Mashiro said, rooted to the spot in fascination as the shells sped towards them, "I never dreamt that I would die on a ship crewed by the lowest ranking people" and Akeno seemed to resign herself to her fate as she adjusted her cap and looked at Mashiro.

"How about side by side with friends?"

"Aye, Captain" Mashiro shook Akeno's hand and brought herself up to parade attention to salute her Commanding Officer for what she thought would be the final time as the shells completed the remaining distance, "I can do that"

"It was an honour to serve with you" Akeno replied, "With you all…" she added to the rest of them on the Bridge and through the voice pipe. Looking at the shells, she saw every one of them seconds from striking. "All hands brace for impact"

 **A/N:**

 **And so the final battle begins… I hope that you have enjoyed the story so far and that the upcoming final battle will bring twists and turns that nobody expected.**

 **As always, please leave your reviews and I will, where possible, try to reply to them**

 **Regards**

 **Pixel And Stephanie Forever**


	7. Lives Lost – Battles Won

**Lives Lost – Battles Won**

"Are we ready to go…?" asked Principal Muetanni as she stepped onto the Bridge.

"Yes, Ma'am – all lines are cleared"

"Very well" the woman sighed. "Half speed ahead – steady as she goes" and slowly but surely, the giant battleship _Yamato_ eased away from its dock and headed towards the blockading Blue Mermaid vessels.

"I have an incoming message from Commander Task Force – she orders you to surrender this vessel"

"Make no reply… Gunnery, prepare to engage"

"Ma'am…?" the young woman was a bit frightened.

"Load with training rounds and target the aft sections of the Blue Mermaid vessels" the Principal had called in every favour she was owed to get the _Yamato_ readied for sea and she had little real ammunition as it was.

"Four hundred yards and closing fast" reported a lookout.

"Fire over the bows of the Blue Mermaids" Mashiro's mother ordered, "Helm, keep your rudder amidships. Deputy Captain, please sound the collision alarm" and the _Yamato_ fired a single salvo from her forward main battery which landed just on the other side of the blockading Blue Mermaid vessels. "Increase to full" and the _Yamato_ shot forward and the Blue Mermaids blocking the port decided to give in and only just managed to move out of the way.

"We're clear"

"Good. Helm, set course for Yokosuka – flank speed" and Principal Muetanni prayed that she would not be too late.

# # # # #

"We've been hit in the middle of the ship –it got through the hull" Kouko said.

"Tama, target the aft batteries on _Musashi_ with our cannon – if we can knock them out maybe we can create a safe zone" Akeno said. The battle had waged on for hours and the _Harekaze_ was being torn to bits by the larger guns of the _Musashi_. Even _Spee_ was not much better and was pounded upon – but whoever was in charge on _Musashi_ seemed to want to take out _Harekaze_ first…

"Tsugu, tell _Spee_ what we plan to do" Mashiro called out.

" _Aye, Aye_ "

"Captain, I've lost torpedo launcher 2!" Mei called out sharply.

"Understood" Akeno winced.

"The guns have their targets" Tama said.

"FIRE!" and the turrets roared into action and hurled shells from the barrels of the _Harekaze_ 's main guns to the _Musashi_ , but they just bounced off the armour or otherwise did nothing.

"If we can't find a way to get through the armour and disable the _Musashi_ , this is going to be over in minutes" Mashiro said.

"Spee _has launched torpedoes at_ Musashi" Macchi said from high above them.

"Mei, fire whatever we have. Bridge to Engineering, get a party to the second torpedo launcher and get it freed" Akeno said. "Damage report"

"Torpedo launcher 2 is out of action, fire has broken out in the dry stores storage area, there is a hole in the starboard bow area… Not much flooding though" Kouko said. "Our main problem is the amount of firepower hitting us – its not exploding but just punching great big holes in our sides"

"We're not getting enough hits" Tama said. "Rin, can you get us closer and broadside on?"

"We're already too close" replied Rin.

"What distance can you manage?" asked Akeno as the ship was struck by another salvo of shells.

"I'd prefer 300 miles away from it" Rin replied under her breath. "If we come up in front of the _Spee_ , it might make _Musashi_ split up its fire"

"Or concentrate it"

"Captain, we've lost the main fire suppression system!" Kouko shouted over the din of guns firing and the sounds of others on the Bridge. "The secondary system is working, but it has been badly damaged… I can send people to try and manage some of it with hand held gear, but it will soon overwhelm us"

" _Sonar reporting… I have four underwater contacts approaching the area at high speed_ "

"Can you identify them?" Akeno asked as she watched the _Spee_ be bracketed by a salvo from all of the _Musashi_ 's main armament.

" _Not with all this high speed running_ " Kaede reminded her, " _But I can tell you they sound like submarines on a high speed dash_ "

"Friend or foe…?" Mashiro asked the question on everyone's lips.

"Tsugu, contact the _Spee_ and see if they can identify it better" Akeno said. "Rin, turn hard to port"

"Captain, that will put us dangerously to the _Musashi_ " Mashiro thought it best to remind her Captain of this fact.

"I know… But I want to get so close that even the secondary guns and the anti drone guns will be sure of a hit – one pass with everything we have on her starboard side" Akeno watched as the battleship seemed to sense the danger the _Harekaze_ posed and shifted every single capable gun to bear.

"This is going to hurt…" Mei noted grimly. Akeno simply nodded in mute agreement as the other ship opened fire.

"All hands – brace for impact"

#

"We're losing the fight against the incoming water" one of the engineering girls said.

"Get more pumps there…" Maron ordered shortly.

"We've got all the pumps we can on it already – the leaks are just too strong"

"We can't give up now…" Maron rubbed an oily bandaged hand on her chin in thought. "Do we have more piping for the pumps?" she asked.

"Yes… I think so"

"Good, get the pumps from off the side and feed them directly into the ballast tanks"

"I get it" said Gufran. "By using the dumping power of the ballast tank valves, we can get rid of the water easier and faster"

"Glad you approve" Maron was about to say more when Akeno shouted for all hands to brace for impact. Seconds later, the entire hull shook worse then it had ever done before – the sound of metal twisting ran up and down the _Harekaze_ and the girls and Gufran wondered what the heck had happened as the entire back of the ship seemed to lift up into the air and then slam back down again with a huge groan. Almost instantaneously, the damage indicator displayed red lights all along the lateral frames and followed this up by showing a warning light along with the caution for fire in just about the worst possible place. "Forward magazine room – get the hell out of there… we're going to flood the compartment!" she turned to her staff. "Start the water sprays for the forward magazine and go forward with hand held gear"

"They will drown in there if they don't get out in time" Gufran said and the girl froze for a moment.

"I know" Maron whispered, "But I have to save the ship as long as possible" and she crossed to the phone and dialled the Bridge. "Bridge, Maron here… Fire in the forward magazine hold… I'm spraying as much as possible for as long as I can before sealing it off and flooding… Yes, the only way… Also, I think we took some serious damage to the keel"

#

" _... damage to the keel_ "

"Is the back broken?" Akeno asked as the guns fired again.

" _I don't know, but I really don't like the look of the signs_ "

"Understood… Give people there another half a minute before sealing and flooding. Bridge out" Akeno closed her eyes and prayed deeply that everyone made it out in time. "Rin, turn the ship hard to port and then swing it as far as possible to starboard… Mei, do you have any torpedoes left?"

"Six in the forward magazine and four in launcher 1" the girl replied. "I have four in the tubes of launcher two, but we have no way of reloading them and even firing them"

"Can they be launched manually?" Mashiro demanded the answer quickly.

"There is a back up handle to fire them manually, but it's broken and to go out there is too dangerous for any of the crew to do it"

"Then…" Mashiro tapped the frame of the window before heading aft, "I'll go and fix it myself"

"You mean out there…?" Mei was open mouthed.

"The things are set to go live the minute they are launched… Just get me as close to the stern as possible of the _Musashi_ "

"Shiro?" Akeno looked over her shoulder, "Good luck"

"Captain… Akeno… Just in case something happens, I want you to know it was an honour to serve under your command"

"The honour was mine, Deputy Captain" and Mashiro nodded once before slipping away.

" _Underwater contacts register as submarines from the same school as I-201_ " Kaede's voice managed to be heard over the din and noise of combat. " _They are taking positions to fire on the_ Musashi"

"Quick… Use the sonar to signal them so they fire only at the stern" Akeno ordered. "Tsugu, radio the _Spee_ and tell them they are friendlies"

" _Aye_ "

"Rin, hard to starboard… Full ahead both engines"

"Hard to starboard, Aye. Engines together full" Rin swung the wheel as hard as she could to bring the _Harekaze_ round.

"Midships"

"Midships"

"Standby for close range torpedo action" Akeno ordered as the entire ship was pummelled by the secondary batteries of the _Musashi_.

"Oh crap…" Kouko whispered as the aft most main turret shifted slightly round and angled down. Everybody turned to watch in terror as Akeno raced over to the rear bulkhead and grabbed the Engine Room telephone.

"Maron, ABANDON THE ENGINE ROOM – GET OUT OF THERE… GET OUT… GET OUT OF THERE" and the battery opened fire with just three shells – striking true and tearing through the after section of the _Harekaze_ like wet tissue paper before exploding. At the same moment that every damage indicator turned red, Mashiro fired the torpedoes in launcher 2 directly into the stern of the _Musashi_ as Mina brought the _Spee_ round and did the same from the _Musashi_ 's portside whilst the submarines from Toemi High fired from the starboard. Every single fish ran to target and the shafts and engines were torn and twisted beyond possible repair at sea and the speed started to drop for the _Musashi_. "Engine Room, Bridge… Engine Room, Bridge"

# # # # #

"Maron, you alright?" Gufran asked the girl as she lay face down on the deck. When he got no reply, he crawled over and saw a piece of metal sticking inside her back. Grabbing the hanging intercom, he called for Minami but he got no reply so he held her and did as best as he could until help arrived.

"Gu… Guffy?" Maron groaned. "Wha– What happened?"

" _Musashi_ fired right at us and has more or less wrecked the place"

"Anybody injured?" she gasped.

"No" Gufran cradled her shaking form in his lap. "Just rest… You need your strength"

"You need to make sure the engines are fine"

"Others are doing it" hot and salty tears ran down Gufran's face.

"Its stupid" Maron spat blood onto her front.

"What is?"

"Such a stupid place to die…"

# # # # #

" _Engine Room… It's Gufran_ "

"Where is Maron?"

" _Badly injured by that last strike… We've just about lost the ship with all of the damage to the hull and fire and flooding_ "

"Do you still have engine control?"

" _I think so_ "

"Then put the engines to stop and begin damage control checks" Akeno hung up. "Rin, left standard rudder… Bring us alongside the _Musashi_ at a half good range. Kouko, full damage report"

"We're screwed"

"Maybe, but full damage report"

"That's it – we're screwed… The keel has been twisted along with what looks like a broken back… There are multiple injuries… We're dead in the water and only just floating for now, but there's no idea on how long that will last"

" _Bridge, there is a hatch opening on the_ Musashi" Macchi called out. Akeno brought her binoculars up to see two women dressed in the uniform of Blue Mermaids drag a young girl out and hold her in a choke hold.

"MOEKA!" she cried out.

" _Getting a radio message from the_ Musashi… _They are telling us they are taking this action to preserve the dignity of the nation and to bring us back to a war like state at the turn of century. They say they will stop at nothing until they have achieved their aims and have proof of that_ "

"Proof…?" frowned Rin. "What do they mean by having proof?" and the Bridge crew looked at each other before Akeno saw Moeka being thrown forwards and some kind of argument between her and her former captor who pulled something silver out of her skirt pocket.

"What's that?" asked Mei.

"I don't know" Akeno replied, "I can't see without…"

 _ **BANG**_

The sound of a single gunshot echoed over the water as the rogue Blue Mermaid officer fired between Moeka's eyes and her body went tumbling over the side. Akeno and the Bridge crew on the _Harekaze_ tracked the figure as it went over the side, plummeted down and then hit the waves and started to drift away.

"Please no…" whispered Mashiro who had only just managed to get back from the rear torpedo launcher. Akeno just stared at the floating body bobbing face down and staining the water around it with Moeka's blood and started shaking. The grip on her glasses was so much both lenses shattered into a dozen pieces and they dropped to the floor like little tinkling bits of foil. The only family she had had was just taken away from her before her eyes and a rage filled her very soul.

"They've killed her" Rin said, "Blue Mermaids killed an innocent girl"

"Tama, do you have shells left? Mei, do you have shots left in the tubes?"

"Yes"

"A full launcher" and Akeno snapped the orders out harshly and with some perverted pleasure.

"Port guns and torpedoes together … Standby for surface and subsurface action – your target is the _Musashi_ at 090 degrees… Open fire with all remaining rounds until depletion"

"Captain…?" Mashiro stepped forward hesitantly as if she had not heard the command correctly.

" _SINK IT_ " Akeno ordered as darkly and as icily as any of them had heard her speak The _Spee_ and the newly surfaced submarines did nothing but watch as the attacks did nothing but make dints in the hull and decking.

"She's making way again" Kouko said – pointing to where a small but growing wake was forming behind the massive and seemingly unbeatable ship. "She's unstoppable…" and the aft battery angled and fired once more – striking the forward gun turret and the firing command post.

"All upper hands down to the deck and starboard side" Mashiro ordered.

"No… She's not getting away – not now" Akeno growled. "Rin, does the Helm still answer?"

"Yes"

"Good" Akeno looked around the shattered and broken Bridge at the girls who still stood to their posts even when seriously wounded. "Abandon ship" she said.

"Captain?"

"I said to abandon ship" Akeno repeated. "Get the wounded into the boats and have everybody else jump into the sea and swim away as fast as you can"

"What are you going to do…?" asked Mashiro in a suspicious manner.

"I'm going to ram the _Musashi_ and scuttle the ship" Akeno turned to her crew. "I don't want any heroics or anything – just get as far clear as you can"

" _SURFACE CONTACT_ " Macchi called out from high above. " _270 – six miles and closing fast_ "

"What? Here? Can you identify?" asked Mashiro.

" _It's a warship,_ Yamato _Class… Unknown identification… I'm getting a flashing light signal from her. '_ Harekaze… Harekaze, _please hold on as we are about to engage the_ Musashi _'_ _Captain, there are other ships as well_ "

" _Captain… I'm picking up identification signals – it's our school's ships and the_ Yamato" Tsugu called up.

"Belay my last order" Akeno said. "Tell them to engage the _Musashi_ with full shells"

"Captain, I have to tell you that all the main guns are out of action – they're finished" Tama said.

"Doesn't matter" Rin said in a quiet but determined voice, "So long as the _Harekaze_ can manoeuvre, she can still fight" and everybody realised what that really meant. As they exchanged glances, gunfire from the _Spee_ and the newly arrived surface and subsurface ships arched over them and struck the _Musashi_ – slowing it down but not stopping it.

"I thought I told you to abandon ship" Akeno said.

"We're staying, Captain" Mashiro said. "It is our duty to stay here"

"Your duty is to obey me…" Akeno shook her head and smiled weakly. "Very well, man your stations. Get the injured people over the side in the boats and order them to make for the _Spee_ as quickly as possible… Let's try to ram that bastard" she added with a curse. "If we're going down, then I'm taking that son of a bitch with me" and several minutes later, all that was left was the Bridge crew plus Maron and Gufran down in the engine room. Kouko, with some sense of irony, rigged the still functional speakers all over the ship to start playing the old naval theme of ' _March of the Battleship_ ' which caused those remaining onboard to grin with feint amusement.

"Captain, all persons have evacuated the ship" Mashiro reported.

"Rin, full ahead both engines" Akeno ordered and the broken engines gave the crippled ship one last burst of energy as they tore themselves to pieces as the mighty vessel flung itself at the _Musashi_ – the _Harekaze_ 's smaller guns blazing away on automatic as it stalked towards its target. In years to come, everybody watching would say that it was an awe inspiring sight – the ship continuing to put up a hopeless spread of fire. Smoke, heat and flames blistered the paint and caused the hull and most of the upper deck to buckle, sag and glow – huge sections seemed to melt with a violent shade of reddish purple. Occasionally, there would be a small explosion as fires reached fuel or ammunition stores. On the smoke heavy Bridge, Akeno judged her moment then ordered Rin to swing the _Harekaze_ round to port and spear the _Musashi_ like a stick through a fish. The bow tore into the side before the front of the ship rose up and the _Harekaze_ ended up being partly dragged along by the _Musashi_. The front section had crumpled up like paper, but the small destroyer was sat at an angle and groaning from the strain of being dragged sideways.

"We're well onto her now" Mashiro noted as they picked themselves up off the deck.

"Understood… Rudder midships… Both engines ahead flank – unlock the limiters… Damage acceptable" and the _Harekaze_ seemed to inch up onto the _Musashi_ 's deck so much that her stern was now fully down in the water. "Right then, that's it… All hands abandon ship". Akeno said and Mashiro called down to the Engine Room to get Maron and Gufran up and out and then pointed out some of the hijacking crew from the _Musashi_ coming towards them with weapons.

"Should I sound 'Repel Boarders', Captain?" but Akeno shook her head.

"Jump over the side… I have a surprise waiting for them" she said and pressed a button on a small radio control pad.

"Whats that?" asked Kouko.

"Countdown trigger for the scuttling charges. I had Maron rig them ages ago in case something like this would happen" and the crew took a moment before they went to the starboard Bridge wing and jumped off. Akeno, alone, remained on the Bridge and watched the crew getting well clear as the rogue Blue Mermaids came running up the ladders and surrounded her.

"I see you stayed behind to beg for your life" one of them spat and brought up a gun.

"You killed a defenceless girl – what honour is there in that? Why have you betrayed the Blue Mermaids and everything they stand for?"

"Because we have been passive for far too long – we must take over other countries to supply our needs… As for that brat, she was killed because we thought people needed a warning to stop fighting and follow us. But like I said to that bitch I put down, what a pity we don't take prisoners" the woman cocked the gun's safety off.

"That's funny" Akeno said as she bent down and retrieved her uniform cap and place it on her head, "Neither do I" and she pressed the button – detonating the scuttling charges right on top of the _Musashi_ 's forward magazine. The result was a fireball that took out both ships, chunks of hull being torn away like some invisible giant's hand just prised it apart. The death throes of both vessels combined to make an impressive spectacle before the ruined _Musashi_ folded in two and went down with all hands. What remained of the _Harekaze_ floated on the surface for a few seconds before the bow snapped off, tipped upwards and sank. The larger bit flooded quickly and bobbed about for a few seconds before diving in with the propellers still turning in obedience to their last command of Ahead Flank. As the Bridge dipped down, the _Harekaze_ crew stood in lifeboats, on the decks of the combined fleet or floated in the water to watch as a lone figure picked something up off the flooding deck, ran quickly to the stern and removed the pennant before jumping over the side and into the water.

#

"Let's go" Mina ordered the crewmember in the _Spee_ 's speedboat. She had launched boats to pick up everybody the minute she had an idea as to what was going to happen, and she'd personally gone with the fastest boat they had onboard. Along the way, she'd picked up Mashiro and Kouko who sat at the back wrapped up in blankets and looking worried.

"It's the Captain!" Kouko stood and pointed at the red hair in yellow ribbons. Within a minute, they had pulled Akeno into the boat and were heading towards the _Yamato_ where Mashiro's mother was waiting. It was hauled up and Akeno taken down to the Sickbay to be operated on.

"Are you alright, Mashiro?" asked her mother.

"I don't know" came the reply. "Was all this worth it? We were chased, hunted, hurt… All because nobody had the courage to believe us apart from you" Mashiro straightened somewhat. "Before she passed out, the Captain gave me this" she handed her mother a water damaged Blue Mermaid cap... "Mother, I am sorry that this is late... Captain Misaki found the cap that blew off my head so many years ago but I now return what was once lost. I know it is an honour for you to have it again" and Mayuki Munetani looked at it and then shook her head with a mixture of a sad and proud smile.

"No, Mashiro… The greatest gift and honour is having you for a daughter. Now, you have a crew to attend to in the place of your Captain"

"What of the rest of the Blue Mermaid units that went renegade?"

"They were… They were dealt with or are in the process of being so" and she led the way to the inside of _Yamato_ which was lowering boats filled with people to go to the wreckage to search for possible survivors.

"Mother… About _Musashi_ 's captain…"

"I already know about her… We will find time in the coming weeks to honour her memory. Now, let's see to your crew and your injuries"

"Aye, Aye"

"Yeoman!" Mashiro's mother turned to the male that was standing nearby talking to Gufran.

"Yes, Ma'am"

"Make to the Disaster Headquarters as well as both Blue Mermaid and Naval Headquarters… ' _Musashi_ sunk – fleet is returning to port'… Lets get out of here"

#

Mina refused to leave the area until a search had been carried out for anybody in the water before the school ships, the _Spee_ and the _Yamato_ all headed for Yokosuka to conduct repairs and offload the wounded. Moeka's remains had been placed in a casket with a vigil by Akeno who had crawled her way on her stomach from the Sickbay to perform a last duty to her old friend after the casket had been transferred to the _Spee_. Just before the _Spee_ had entered Japanese waters, her engines had been put to idle and she came to a stop just three inches outside the limit. Despite their various wounds, the _Harekaze_ 's crew had somehow managed to clean and press their uniforms before being ferried over to the quarterdeck where the _Spee_ 's Captain, thankfully allowed to return to limited duty after getting over the allergic reaction to the injections given, performed a marriage ceremony between Kouko and Mina – this angered some of the older Japanese until it was pointed out it happened on a piece of German state property and in international waters… As the _Spee_ and the other ships had entered the Uraga Channel and the school, Thea ordered all of the ship's Battle Ensigns to be broken out, all guns readied for action, a large black flag to be raised on the mainmast, the ship's siren to be sounded every twenty seconds for five seconds and the crew assembled on both sides of the upper decks in their dress uniforms. What cheered some of them slightly was that the _Musashi_ 's intended compliment had been offloaded some time before and found by the Blue Mermaids and taken for treatment – most of the _Harekaze_ 's crew had been wondering if her original crew had still been aboard when Akeno sent both ships to the bottom after the scuttling. In order to allow the wounded to get fast treatment, _Yamato_ docked first whilst _Spee_ sat in the harbour and transferred Moeka's body to a boat for the last leg to shore. Once it was clear, and by pre-arranged signal, the main batteries of both _Yamato_ and the _Spee_ rotated round and angled upwards and fired three salvos of blank shots in a salute to a fallen friend and fellow sailor… Those of the crew that had been lightly wounded gathered together on the dockside and awaited orders from their Principal who was talking to some of her staff.

"Crew of the Harekaze, what you have done does great credit to yourselves and to this school. In the coming weeks and months, you will be questioned over each and every single thing you did. For now though, we will get you treated and returned for rest with your families before we debrief yo–" Principal Muetanni paused and did a quick headcount of the girls assembled before her. "There seems to be one of you missing" she said at last, "Where is your missing crewmate?" and the crew looked uneasy before Akeno stepped forward.

"Principal, Assistant Engineer Kuroki Hiromi remains at her post"

#

It was three months after the final battle and the crew had gathered at the school after recovering from their injuries. They had been debriefed on what had happened, and several Blue Mermaids had been dismissed with a larger amount being imprisoned for the rest of their lives. The only one not with them was Kouko who had, after some threats made against her from certain members of the public, decided to accept the offer of a transfer to the German school to stay with Mina. Once Akeno had been released from hospital, she had been detained for questioning into what had happened and the reasons behind the destruction of both the _Harekaze_ and the _Musashi_. People understood the reasons why, but they'd been upset it had happened the moment she had set foot outside the hospital building. The only reason she was released from detention and allowed to go back to the school was because Kaede's father, realising his poor treatment towards his daughter, had used every favour owed to him to secure her release. The first thing the girl did was to visit Moeka's parents to convey the sympathies of her crew as well as her own personal ones. They didn't blame her for what had happened and they were pleased that it had been their semi official daughter who had brought their child home, asking her to convey to Mina their thanks for the escort and the salute as Moeka made landfall one last time. She'd barely had enough time for her wounds to heal before getting a telephone call to assemble with her crew on the lawn outside the school's main building.

"Crew of the _Harekaze_ …" Principal Muetanni addressed them all on the grounds of the school. "It has been some time since the brave and fearsome defence you made of the country and the world. If you had not done the right thing, we would not be standing here talking. I have spoken to many people both at the school, in public, government and I have even spoken to the Emperor himself. They all agree that you have shown skill in battle, courage and devotion to duty – you saved the lives of each other and only fired to disable until the final battle" she looked over the girls. "It has been decreed by his Imperial Majesty that you be given a new ship commensurate with your abilities and I therefore have the honour of relaying his order… 'Take command of ship Y-500'" and she saluted them all and dismissed them all but asked to speak to Akeno. The girl had gone through some surgery and grief management and would most likely go through at least another two months' worth of it before they thought she was over the death of Moeka.

"Principal?" Akeno nodded respectfully.

"I have an order directly from his Majesty" the Principal handed over a scroll made out of parchment. Akeno instantly knew this was something important as only ceremonial purposes demanded the use of the old ways. She undid the ribbon that tied it up, unrolled it and gasped at the contents – the letter had been handwritten in shining green ink.

 _FROM_ : His Imperial Majesty, Tokyo Imperial Palace

 _TO_ : Akeno Misaki, Yokosuka Girls Marine High School

 _I hope that you do not find me in breach of the normal formalities when I address you as Akeno, but what has happened previous has made me realise that there are times when formality has to be placed aside._

 _Over the past few months, you and your crew have been highly honoured for their bravery in exposing the plot to overthrow myself, the Imperial Family and the government before starting a war that would have ruined out nation. I wish to give you a few more honours, if you will permit me to do so, and they are those of which I list below…_

 _Akeno Misaki, late of the destroyer_ Harekaze _is to be elevated to the rank of Officer in the Yokosuka Girls Marine High School._

 _That the Captain, Senior department heads and crew of the former_ Harekaze _be transferred with all speed to their new ship_

 _That the Captain of the late destroyer_ Harekaze _receive the Order of the Chrysanthemum and that her department heads and crew receive the Order of the Precious Crown along with two persons known to us from foreign schools_

 _I have also given thought to certain things listed in your full report and have issued a decree that people are to be permitted to love one another to the point of marriage – no matter what their preferred partnership is. Part of this decree will be to pass new laws protecting the rights of these partnerships as if any other. I will also order my Council to look into the better laws and regulations for women and girls – Japan might be a country steeped in tradition, but perhaps it is time some of those traditions died. For now, please tell your friend that I have made a special notice to my council that I recognise her marriage to one of her own gender._

 _The Imperial Household will, by general agreement, be keeping an eye on you, your crew and your careers after you graduate from the Marine High School you currently attend._

 _Signed_

 _Akihito_

"Is… Is this real?" Akeno looked up at the Principal with glistening eyes.

"I was handed it personally… Now, tie it up again and follow me – we have to go to your next command"

#

Y-500 was a _Fuso_ like ship but with upgrades from the original design – clearly a formidable vessel. Akeno gazed up and noticed that the name on the stern was covered with a white cloth and held up by the hands of two Blue Mermaids. At a gesture from the Principal, they let the cover fall to the dockside to reveal the name – _Harekaze_ …

"You knew!" Akeno turned to look at Mashiro who smiled.

"I had somewhat of an idea" she replied.

"Captain, I believe that your ship is fuelled, armed, stored and ready to go – she merely awaits a crew. Your personal orders from me" Mashiro's mother handed over a sealed packet which she told her not to open before they had put to sea. "Carry on, Captain Misaki" she saluted and got a return salute from Akeno before spinning round to face the crew.

"All hands, man the ship – bring it to life"

#

" _We've left the last of the channel markers – we are clear and free to navigate_ " Macchi said.

"How are you doing up there?" asked Akeno.

" _Great – I even have a heater and a glass window up here_!"

"Hmm…" Akeno shook her head with a laugh before opening the packet and taking out the single sheet inside.

 _FROM: Principal Mutenuni, Yokosuka Girls Marine High School_

 _To: Captain Akeno Misaski, Commanding Officer,_ Harekaze _Y-500_

 _Having been assigned command of the_ Harekaze _you are hereby ordered to proceed on a long range mission to Germany and exercise with ships belonging to the Wilhelmshaven Maritime High School there whilst conducting shakedown tests whilst enroute. You are also, when passing through the waters of Saudi Arabia, to offload a passenger_.

 _Signed_

 _Principal Mayuki Munetani_

"Offload…? I thought Gufran had already gone home"

"I was working as a short term attachment to my country's embassy here – when I heard where you planned to go, I figured I could hitch a lift home" Gufran said from the Bridge hatchway. Everybody welcomed him back, if only for a short time, and Akeno laughingly sent him down to the engineering area to work his passage home. Judging from the squeal heard through the voice pipe ten minutes later, Maron didn't seem to mind at all.

"Chief Navigator, Operations"

"Chief Navigator, Operations" Rin replied.

"Come to starboard and steer 239 – both engines cruise together"

"Come to starboard and steer 239 – both engines cruise together… Aye" and the _Harekaze_ sailed on with the pride and traditions of her previous self already instilled deep inside her.

"It may seem somewhat unneeded, Captain Misaki, but I most humbly and respectfully request permission to come aboard your ship" an elderly voice requested. Akeno turned round in surprise only to see her Bridge crew and the lookouts all gaping at the Emperor standing with only himself there.

"Wha- Ho- How did you get here?"

"I boarded the boat while you were getting your orders" Emperor Akihito said. "As for why, that part is easy to explain… I am not a well man these last few years, and I have made it up in my mind to pass the throne on at some point next year. I have always put Japan first in my life, but in doing so I have not been able to do things I have wanted to. As a boy, I was sometimes jealous of the freedom the ordinary person had to do the things they wanted. This could be my final ever journey abroad, Captain, and myself and the Empress made the decision to go in secret and security. Normally, this means with the Navy"

"Are we getting an escort, your Majesty?" Mashiro asked carefully.

"No… I just want a cruise without the worries of being the leader of a nation – I could think of no finer crew to go with" the man straightened up slightly and he dropped the formality in his voice. "I understand it is traditional for stowaways to be made to work upon being discovered"

"It is" Akeno said, "But I would not dare to do this to you. I am sorry that we have only standard cabins for you"

"I would ask for nothing more" Emperor Akihito said. "You are still very young, Captain, compared to me, so you may not understand this, but the journey is not just knowing where to go but _how_ you got there. All I ask is that myself and the Empress be allowed to occasionally visit the Bridge – I love the sea and perhaps in another life I would have been allowed to become a sailor"

"Your Majesty…?" Akeno called out as the old man turned to leave. "Would you like to take the wheel of the _Harekaze_?"

"I… I can?" Emperor Akihito's eyes shone brightly at the impulsive offer and he darted over to the wheel where Rin stepped aside and quietly explained what everything did.

"Shiro, get Kaede to call her relief and come to the Bridge – she'll know what to do. Rin, how is his Majesty?"

"As good as anybody on the wheel" came her reply.

"You flatter me, my dear, but I am just an old man with too many regrets at the end of his life. The only thing I have steered is a small yacht filled with scientific information"

"You are not that old, Majesty" Rin smiled.

"I am in my eighties" the man sighed. "If I were young and unmarried…" and the two laughed and started talking about Helming the ship through dangerous times.

"Steady on course 239 – engines to cruise together" Akeno said.

"Yes, Captain… Steady on course 239. Both engines to cruising speed" and, with the Emperor of Japan himself at her wheel, the newest vessel to take the name _Harekaze_ pushed her nose forward and towards the open sea. "On course 239"

"Communications, send an email to Kouko and tell her we're coming to visit" Mashiro ordered. "All hands, secure from leaving harbour - go to cruising stations"

" _Bridge, Engine Room – what the hell is Rin doing up there with that lurching around_?" Maron demanded from deep in the bowels of the ship.

"Rin isn't driving" Akeno replied.

" _Right… You'll be telling me that the Emperor is driving_ "

"He is"

" _Yeah, right_ "

"Good Afternoon, Chief Engineer" the Emperor spoke, "I apologise for mistreating your ship – I humbly and faithfully promise to take better care of it"

" _Excuse me while I go and drown myself_ … _Engine Room, out_ "

"What a charming girl" the Emperor said with a shake of his head and a twinkle in his eye.

"She seems a lot better after a night with Guffy" Rin shrugged.

"You mean that boy?"

"Yes… They… Um…" Rin suddenly paused and turned bright red.

"I see" the Emperor chuckled, "Well such is life"

"Do you think that all of our adventures will be like this?" asked Tama and Mei together.

"Oh no" Akeno chuckled, "They will be much more interesting. Rudder amidships – All ahead full and steady as she goes…" she finished in a whisper and newly built, but full of promise and with a tradition to carry on, the new _Harekaze_ put her nose to the wind and sailed on.

 **A/N:**

 **And that, ladies and gentlemen, is that… I want to thank you all for the reviews, few as there have been, and look forward to seeing them for the final chapter. Please tell me what you liked in the fic because, maybe, there might be a sequel…**

 **Regards**

 **Pixel And Stephanie Forever**


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